Broken Helix
by SiriusReborn
Summary: Neji is accused of crimes his friends know he didn't commit. But with his sudden mysterious mental collapse and suspicious events within the Hyuuga clan, his comrades must race to save him before it's too late.
1. Chapter 1

_(Naruto and its characters do not belong to me, nor am I trying to make any money off of this fanfiction. This story contains mature themes, including sexual situations and violence.)_

* * *

"There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" 

"Come on, sensei is taking us to dinner tonight. He's already headed for the restaurant."

"I'm starving! Let's go!"

"Come on! You can look at the sky later. Keep staring at it like that and you might turn into the lazy type like Shikamaru."

"Yeah, it's not everyday we get to eat with each oth-- Um, are you… okay?"

"…Neji?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Hey, look at us. Tell us about it. Lee and I always listen, right?"

"Neji, say something."

"…This isn't funny."

"…What are you--"

"OH MY GOD!"

"Neji, no! Give it to me! DROP IT!"

"Take it from him!"

"I can't! STOP IT! Let go of it, Neji! Please!"

"Tenten, get help!"

"But--"

"GO!"

**Broken Helix: part I: Crack**

The tension in the air was thick in the waiting room. It was as if the sands of time had been caught by the neck of the hourglass, struggling to free themselves to get rid of the friction and the ache. Everyone else had been cleared out, told to go home and wait for news. But the medical staff knew better than to even attempt to move Gai. They hadn't so much as tried. As a result, there were two in the waiting room, because they feared that Gai might run into the emergency room if Kakashi wasn't there to keep him company.

"When they were younger, I always wondered if Neji and Tenten thought I paid too much attention to Lee and not them."

"Gai--"

"I wanted my students to be happy."

"Lee just needed more help with improve his skills. You didn't neglect the other two."

Gai was silent again, sitting back and staring at the ceiling.

"Ever since Neji made Jounin," Kakashi continued, "You and I have spent a lot of time with him. He knows we all care."

Gai gave a slight nod, and Kakashi thought it odd that he was the one doing the most talking for once. But that was soon to change….

"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto yelled, tearing through the hallway like a backdraft. "How is he!"

The young blonde smelled of sweat and earth. He had just arrived home from a mission, and had probably heard about what happened from one of his many friends. Kakashi thought there was a chance the news might reach him much later, since Sakura was inside the emergency room trying to help.

"Naruto, be quiet in the hospital," Kakashi said calmly.

Naruto was about to protest, but then he saw the look on Gai-sensei's face. The pure worry. Immediately the excited blonde deflated.

"I'm sorry…" he said, sitting down on Kakashi's other side. "I just heard…" he stopped, not wanting to make things worse. Honestly, he had heard it was bad. He heard how much blood there was….

After a more agonizing silence the doors to the emergency room opened. Tsunade stepped out, looking as calm as over. The only evidence that she had been working were the few strands of blonde hair out of place. Gai shot up immediately when he saw her, but she walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, having him sit down as she sat next to him.

"As you may or may not have heard from Lee," Tsunade said, her voice soft, though still strong and calm, "is that Neji stabbed himself twice with his own kunai. He was going for his own heart on the third strike when Lee and Tenten restrained him."

"Himself…?" Naruto said, the word rushing from his lips before he realized it. "He wouldn't…."

"Naruto," Kakashi said in a warning voice.

"The good news," Tsunade continued with her hand on Gai's shoulder, "is that the wounds will heal without any problems."

Gai only nodded, as if this news was as important as a weather prediction.

"The better news is that his curse seal was not activated, and his state of mind has nothing to do with it."

Suddenly Gai let out a great breath, one that seemed as though he had been holding it in forever. He slumped down in his chair as the tension in the room melted away. Finally Kakashi understood. If Neji's curse seal had been activated, it would have meant permanent, irreversible brain damage. Gai didn't think for a moment that Tsunade couldn't heal the wounds to Neji's body. It was his mind that he was worried about, and rightfully so.

"The bad news," Tsunade whispered, and Gai glanced to her. "Lee and Tenten felt no presences and sensed no active jutsu. Aside from that, Neji is immune to most genjutsu and has far better detection for chakra and murderous intent than most. In other words, from what we can tell so far, he had a breakdown, Gai. The times we had him conscious, he didn't seem as though he was coming out of it."

Gai looked lost for a moment, as if the room had carried him off and then dropped him back in his seat.

"That can't be," he said, barely audible. "It must be something. Something physical."

Naruto was on the edge of his seat now, leaning closer and closer to the conversation. "Are you sure you checked everything, Granny?" he said, trying to smile, but unable to hide his anxiety. "Neji… he's so… strong-willed."

"He is very good at hiding his emotions," Kakashi said. "Maybe something was--"

"I would have seen it!" Gai said, but he looked doubtful and pained. "I should have seen it…."

Just then the doors to the emergency room opened. Sakura stepped out, her pink hair messy, sweat on her face. She looked at the small group solemnly.

"He's sleeping now, but I think it's okay to come in," she said.

Kakashi expected Naruto to bolt inside, but he didn't. Instead, they all waited patiently for Gai to enter and see his former student. Naruto was on the edge of his seat, but he only sat there.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Naruto smiled weakly. "I'm sure he'll be awake by then."

He caught Sakura's eyes for a moment, and he must have seen something there that said otherwise. His smile faded the instant he turned away. Before anyone else could lessen his hopes about his friend, he left the hospital.

Kakashi expected to wait a long time to see Gai again, but he was out not long after he entered the emergency room. Neji must not have awaken.

* * *

"Hinata, slow down!" Kiba yelled as he dashed after his teammate. He found he was having a good deal of trouble catching up to her, which was certainly not normal. "What's wrong?" 

Hinata's long, dark hair whipped around her in the wind as she ran. She didn't register Kiba's words. She only wanted to get to the hospital.

Kiba felt another presence coming up from behind, and he turned to see Shino running with him.

"What's with her?" Kiba asked. "We just got home for that ridiculous mission! You'd think she'd want to--"

"Neji is in the hospital," Shino said calmly. "Shikamaru informed me that he tried to kill himself, and now is in a state of mental collapse."

Kiba fell silent, but continued to run. Hinata was already inside the medical building when they reached the doors.

"Family only," a stern voice snapped as they ran inside. "And no running in the hospital!"

"Tsunade-sama," Shino said in his deep, soothing voice. "How is Neji? We only just learned about his being here."

"He's alive," Tsunade said. "Or rather, he survived…."

"So it's true!" Kiba exclaimed. "No way. You don't really believe--"

"There were witnesses," Tsunade explained softly. "Lee and Tenten had to restrain him." She sighed, and they could tell that she didn't quite believe the situation herself. "Starting tomorrow, you two should start talking to him. He may not respond, but try anyway."

And with that, she walked away.

* * *

Hinata knocked on the door quietly and stood outside of the hospital room. She waited, and waited, not wanting to believe that she wouldn't get a response. She knocked a little louder, determined to hear his voice telling her to come in. But when she heard nothing, she sighed deeply, and finally opened the door. 

She stopped in the doorway when she heard the beeping of the machines in the cold, dark room. There was a time when she had to listen to those same machines as she suffered in this same room, and she hated the sound now. She crept over to the bed and looked down at his face. So it was true. It wasn't some horrible mistake. Neji was there, his face as gentle as ever as he slept.

"Cousin Neji," she whispered, as she gently pulled the warm blanket over his chest. "Cousin Neji, please, just for a moment," she said a little louder as she gently shook him.

No response. Hinata wrung her hands nervously and stared at the machine monitoring his heart, as though to demand it whether or not Neji was okay. Of course there would be no answer for her, and she slowly sat in the chair next to his bed.

"Hinata," came a voice from the darkest corner of the room.

Hinata nearly jumped out of her seat. She had been so distracted that she didn't notice that someone else was there. Or rather, she sensed another presence, but probably mistook that presence for Neji. But now, she realized that Neji's life force was so weak, and had she not seen him she wouldn't know he was in the room at all.

"You know I don't want you alone with his boy," the gruff voice went on.

"Grandfather," Hinata said timidly, "I just wanted to know how he w--"

"This boy tried to kill you," the old man said as he stepped closer to her. "You would do well to remember that."

"N… Neji is different now, Grandfather," Hinata said softly, her eyes downcast. "He apologized years ago…."

"Apologized!" the old man laughed bitterly. "Apologized! Blood ran from your mouth for days, and it took months for your heart to recover. Yet you accept an apology! Child, your foolishness never ceases to amaze me. Why your father ever bothered to further your skills and not concentrate on your sister Hanabi is beyond me. And to make matters worse, he didn't have this trash executed for attempting to kill a head family member. If it were me I would have activated that seal on his forehead until his brain was rotten in his skull."

"No!" Hinata cried out before she could stop herself. She shrank for a moment under his gaze, but then slowly stood up from her chair. "Grandfather, he gave me his apology, his word, and would give his life as my protector. Please… please don't talk about Cousin Neji that way."

Faster than she could see, he struck her across the face. The sound bounced off of the walls and left complete silence in its wake. He hit her with such force that she stumbled into the bed next to her, and her eyes fell to Neji's face once more.

"Is it that fox demon boy, your unruly teammates, or the waste of flesh in that bed that have you forgetting your manners as a member of the head family!" the old man hissed at her.

"Grandfather…" Hinata said softly, not raising her head. Her long hair hid her face as she looked down at her hands, clenched into the blanket. "Why are you here?"

There was silence, and then the sound of footsteps, and finally, the slamming of the door as the old man left. It was as if the sting of his words gave power to his slap, and she found herself crying over her cousin's sleeping body. What had Grandfather been doing here? It frightened her to think about it.

And now she dreaded the fact that she would have to return home. Neji had a room in her father's household as well as an apartment elsewhere in the village. But it didn't matter where he was, she felt safer just knowing that he was wandering in the village somewhere… anywhere. And when he visited her father's extremely large home, a warmth swept over the place. Even the coldest in the family seemed to feel this warmth. Even her father felt it when Neji was around. But there were a few who seemed to fear that Neji could somehow tear down the very foundation with the force of his will. He had no fear of the seal carved into his forehead. So they felt no power over him.

But now, Cousin Neji wouldn't wake up. And the room felt so very cold.

* * *

Shikamaru and Chouji sat on the rooftop and watched the streets below. Chouji had a huge bag of potato chips for both of them to share. 

"So, let's see if we have this straight," Chouji said as he stretched out his large body. "Lee and Tenten and Gai don't feel like training because their hearts aren't in it because Neji is in the hospital."

"Yep," Shikamaru yawned. "And because Gai doesn't feel like working, Kakashi doesn't have anything to do today because they were going to have one of their rival battles."

"And Sakura saw Kakashi being lazy and decided that she wanted to be lazy too, and she wants to keep checking up on Neji."

"And since Ino got the day off and Sakura doesn't feel like doing anything, Ino has been free all day."

"And Hinata is sad because Neji's in the hospital, so she went to go buy flowers to leave at the hospital so that Neji would know she was visiting when he woke up, but Ino wasn't there to make one of her special bouquets so Hinata decided to wait until tomorrow, and Kiba and Shino are worried about Hinata and don't feel like doing much today either."

"Wait… wait wait wait. What about Naruto? Damnit, now we have to start over…."

"We could make it really challenging by trying to include Sasuke," Chouji grinned.

"But he's never lazy," Shikamaru said. "He's probably training his butt off wherever he is. He messes up our whole equation that everyone is being as lazy as us today."

The two had a good laugh and then went to work staring at the clouds again. They were lying on the rooftop of some fancy restaurant this time. Lately they had taken to switching rooftops to see if it made any difference in their cloud viewing.

"So it looks like he'll survive?" a deep voice said. It drifted out from the window directly below them, which was odd since that floor of the restaurant was hardly ever used.

"Unfortunately," came the gruff voice of an older man. "I nearly killed him in the hospital. Had the urge to just end his life and make it look like an accident."

The other voice chuckled at this, and by now, Shikamaru and Chouji were both fully eavesdropping.

"You should have done it," the deep voice said. "He's bad for our clan. He's far too rebellious against the old ways. Hiashi is soft on him because it's his twin's son, but I don't think he realizes how dangerous Neji is to the head family."

Shikamaru and Chouji shot horrified looks at each other, but of course, they still tuned in.

"Well, Hinata came in to visit him, so I couldn't very well kill him," said the gruff voice. "I swear letting the boy into the family had a horrible impact on her."

"I wonder what made him snap like that?"

"Heh, I'm just sorry he didn't finish the job. But that's alright. He has inherited so much power from our clan, which actually works to our advantage now. We can't have someone with his power wandering the streets with mental instability."

"You don't mean-- But Hiashi would never allow us to kill his beloved nephew!"

"He must! It's for the good of the clan! We must protect the secrets of the Byakugan technique at all costs. Killing Neji and sealing the technique is necessary for the good of our futures. This has all been written! Hiashi knows it!"

"Hm. I would like to be there when the seal is activated. I've heard it's a slow and agonizing death. It's fitting for one such as him. Now, let us have our meal."

Shikamaru and Chouji sat frozen. They waited for the footsteps of the two men to disappear down the stairs before jumping up and leaping from rooftop to rooftop. They had to see Tsunade.

"I'm going to see Neji," Chouji said. "You tell Tsunade what we heard."

Chouji leapt off with determination in his eyes. He could never bare to see anyone hurt, and Shikamaru knew that he would be guarding Neji in that room as though his life depended on it.

* * *

Tsunade didn't ask for clarification of the situation. She didn't ask Shikamaru if he was sure about what he heard. While Shikamaru expected that he might have to do more convincing, she only leaned forward in her chair and appeared to be in thought. 

"You aren't surprised?" Shikamaru asked.

"I am," she said. "But then when I think about some of the people in that clan who can't give up some of their elitist attitudes, I'm not."

"Why Neji?" Shikamaru sighed. "It's troublesome not being able to tell him this."

"There are many reasons," Tsunade said, sitting back. "Neji nearly killed Hinata years ago, and some people in the family think that he should have just laid down accepted defeat during that match so that the head family member could move on. Instead he beat her, and they do not want to admit that a branch family member has gained so much power. Next, Neji made Jounin long before any of his peers, including Hinata. He knows techniques that only the head family has been known to pass down, and his power is growing exponentially."

"Envy?" Shikamaru smirked.

"And a vast superiority complex, yes. They envy and fear Neji and the fact that he is so close to the head family. And to make matters worse, many of them are disgusted with the fact that he is friends with Naruto and supports Naruto's dream to become Hokage. They seem to think the two will come to destroy the clan one day. In reality, Neji simply doesn't want anyone to suffer what he suffered in the past with the family divisions."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. "So what are we going to do?"

"We will guard Neji," Tsunade said. "And I can talk to Hiashi. But beyond that, since we do not have names and faces, we can't do much. But do keep in mind, that even if you found out who said those things, we still couldn't do much. The Hyuuga can is very old, and has many rules that extend through its clan alone. For them to execute Neji would be fully justifiable by their old rules."

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Shikamaru exclaimed. "That's actually something they can do!"

"They could, if Hiashi would let them," she grinned. "I'm sure you understand I'm willing to do what it takes from letting the most dangerous powers and secrets of Konoha fall into enemy hands. Jounin who become this unstable must be dealt with in some manner."

"So what are you doing to do to Neji? An institution?"

"For now, I'm not going to do anything. You and his other friends will bring him back to his senses. I'll be waiting."

* * *

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto smiled as they approached each other near the ramen shop. 

"H… hello, Naruto," Hinata said with a slight blush.

"How are you doing these days?" he asked, the sun shining brightly from his blonde hair. "I haven't seen you in a long time!"

Hinata felt herself blushing, and she tried to stop it from happening. This kind of thing always happened around Naruto. He had grown so handsome, and she had liked him for years. His eyes and smile were so bright, and he brought courage and hope to everyone. Even back when no one thought anything about him, Hinata had noticed him.

"I'm good," Hinata smiled. "Were you…" she glanced at the ramen shop.

"Oh yeah, quick meal, and then… actually I was going to go talk to Neji," he said, his face growing serious. I want to know who did that to him so I can kick their asses.

"So you don't think he… he wanted to die?" she asked softly.

"Of course not!" Naruto said, looking shocked. "Something must have happened to him. Lee and Tenten must have missed something… or not had all the information. There is no way Neji would do this!"

Hinata smiled. "I agree. Thank you, Naruto."

"Heh, no problem. So come eat with me. My treat!" He pulled out a fat frog wallet filled with money. "No excuses," he smiled.

"I was wondering if you two had a minute after you finish eating," someone said behind them.

"Hey Lee!" Naruto said, recognizing the voice before he turned around. But he and Hinata were shocked to see quite a few of their friends there. Gai and Kakashi were there as well.

"What's going on?" Naruto blinked.

"We've got a problem," Kakashi said. "Meet us at the lake when you're done here."

* * *

"Normally Gai and I wouldn't allow you guys to get worked up about something like this," Kakashi explained when everyone had made it to the lake. "But you're old enough now to make your own decisions and judgments, and this is an important matter regarding a comrade." 

Kakashi looked to Shikamaru and Chouji, and they nodded and explained what they had heard. While Hinata listened, she looked around and saw that almost everyone important to her was sitting there on the grass. Lee, Tenten, and Gai from Neji's team. Her own teammates, Kiba and Shino. Ino, Chouji, and Shikamaru were there too. The only ones missing were Asuma-sensei, head of Shikamaru's team, and her own sensei, Kurenai. They were most likely on a mission. Also missing was Sakura, because she had volunteered to stay by Neji's side, and Sasuke, because he was currently missing.

"Damnit!" Naruto yelled once the details were all given. "I thought things had gotten better for him! Now his own clan is trying to kill him!"

"Naruto!" Ino interrupted, motioning to Hinata.

"I… it's okay," Hinata said. "I understand. But… but it's true. There are people in the clan who don't like him. But… but to kill him…. I never thought…."

"This must have something to do with why he's the way he is now!" Lee said.

"We don't have any proof of that," Gai said.

"But sensei," Lee said, "Neji wouldn't--"

"That's right!" Naruto piped up. "He wouldn't try to kill himself!"

"We all know that," Gai said. "But we have to treat these as unrelated incidents until we have proof. Otherwise we could let something slip through the cracks."

"We have one option now," Shikamaru said. "We have to get him back to normal. That's one of the most important steps. Without that, there is always the chance that he really could be executed by his clan."

Everyone grew quiet. Hinata felt her heart drop to her stomach. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She felt helpless. But suddenly, Naruto stood up with a broad grin, filling her with courage with that simple look. He held out his hand to help her up.

"Ready to go?" he smiled. "We've gotta wake him up."

* * *

Sakura watched as Sai paced the foot of the hospital bed, staring at Neji. The young man could be so odd at times. He studied Neji with his cold, dark eyes for a long while as Sakura checked his progress. 

"Why are you in here?" she asked finally.

"Curiosity," Sai muttered as he ran his fingers through his short black hair.

"What are you so curious about?"

"Why is he so special to people?" Sai asked. "Why make a bond with him?"

Sakura sighed softly. Explaining emotions and human interaction to Sai could get so tiring at times.

"It's different for different people," Sakura said.

"There must be something that people generally like that would make everyone so determined to save his life," Sai said, moving to the side of the bed.

"Well, I can't really answer that for you," Sakura responded. "Maybe you'll find out when you meet him. But really, Sai, you shouldn't find it odd that we'd want to save a comrade's life."

Sai's expression changed slightly as he looked at Neji's face, and Sakura turned to see what was so interesting. She nearly jumped back when she saw two shining white eyes staring back at her.

"Neji," Sakura smiled. "You're awake!"

But he gave no response. Sakura realized that he wasn't staring at her, but through her. When she moved his eyes didn't follow her. He didn't seem to acknowledge his surroundings at all. She waved a hand in front of his face a few times, but he took no notice.

"He's brain dead," Sai said. "How inconvenient."

"Sai! He isn't brain dead! He's just--"

Suddenly Sai pulled out a kunai and thrust it at Neji's throat. He stopped just before the blade could draw blood. Sakura could only sit there horrified.

"You see," Sai said, putting the kunai away after seeing no movement from Neji. "No response at all. Not even a trace of body memory to defend himself. He's brain dead. Time for you all to find another friend. This one doesn't work anymore."

"Sai," Sakura said moving toward him slowly. "If you ever, ever, EVER drawn a weapon on one of my friends again I'll--"

"Is he awake?" came a gentle voice as Hinata and Naruto entered the room.

Naruto shot Sai a dirty look when he noticed that Sakura was upset. He then turned to see that Neji's eyes were indeed open.

"He doesn't seem conscious, but he does seem awake," Sakura said.

Hinata looked into her cousin's white eyes. They were tinted slightly violet in the light of the room, and their usual deep gaze was missing. He looked as though he had died, and apparently Naruto saw the same thing, because he walked over to check Neji's pulse and breathing. At the same time that he did this, Hinata activated her Byakugan, the veins standing out around her eyes as she looked inside of her cousin's body. His chakra was flowing normally throughout, indicating no damage. He was alive and healthy, just lost in his own mind.

Sai wandered over and looked to their worried faces. He then reached toward the bed.

"What are you doing now?" Sakura asked in a threatening tone.

"Helping him to sit up," Sai said emotionlessly.

Naruto blinked for a moment, but then joined Sai in helping Neji to sit upright in the bed, leaning back on the pillows for support.

"Now he looks less dead," Sai said.

He did appear to just be relaxing now and Naruto grinned at Sai in approval.

Hinata leaned forward to brush strands of Neji's long hair from his face. Suddenly, she felt herself being drawn in. Naruto and Sakura gasped as Neji pulled Hinata into a hug, resting his cheek against the top of her head as though she were a giant teddy bear.

"C… cousin Neji?" Hinata squeaked.

Still, no response.

---To Be Continued---

* * *

(Hello! This is only my fourth fanfic, but it's my first time on this site! I'm big on plot, so please stick with me! Comments are greatly appreciated, and I read them all in detail! Also, I'd like to mention that Sai is part of the Naruto cast. He just hasn't appeared in the anime yet… only the manga.) 


	2. Shatter

**Broken Helix: part II: Shatter**

He had watched her for so long. For years, she had been the object of his every desire. Hinata was such an adorable child, and she grew into such a lovely young woman. He watched her grow… watched as every curve of her body came into place. And how he longed to have her ever since she was a girl.

But that damnable boy was always there. Hizashi's child, Hiashi's nephew, Neji. So close he was to Hinata when they were small children. So distant he became after his father's death. So dark he was when he nearly killed Hinata. And then, the most damnable thing of all… so light he became so soon after he nearly ended her life. So close he became to Hinata yet again. No matter what the circumstances, that boy was always there. And when he became Hinata's protector, it seemed as though his presence was always with her. Neji was like an older brother to now, and one of her best friends, and Lord Hiashi would hear nothing bad about him.

But now that damnable young man was merely a shell in the hospital. And that protective aura that seemed to surrounded Hinata's every move had evaporated. Now he could gaze at her without feeling as though Neji was somewhere in the picture. And that was a liberating feeling to him, and yet he still couldn't do anything to quench his thirst for her. Her vulnerable, innocent, doll-like charm taunted him.

"Uncle… it hurts!" cried the young girl underneath him. "Please, uncle... Stop… it hurts!"

He ignored her cries. Ignored her begging. This girl was nothing to him. Just another pawn of one of the Hyuuga branch families that he could manipulate. When she started to cry in earnest he covered her mouth with his hand, his other hand still pinning her wrists above her head.

He wished that this girl were Hinata. It was Hinata he wanted to taste, to touch, to take in every sense of the word. He thrust harder, thinking of Hinata's shy eyes, her soft mouth, and her smooth skin against his. The girl underneath him started to scream, her voice muffled into his hand. That's right, just like this. He wanted Hinata just like this. She would cry and beg and scream, just like this, but she would be his.

When he finally released the girl her cries and screams had turned into weak sobs. Tears streamed down her cheeks from her white eyes.

"Get out," he said, his voice deep and unfeeling as he threw her clothes at her. "And get cleaned up. If I hear so much as a peep to anyone, even a glance that tells anyone something is wrong with you, I will activate that seal of yours."

"Uncle…" the girl sobbed. "…Why…?"

"And I won't let the seal kill you," he continued, his voice still calm and deep as a still ocean. "I'll leave you paralyzed, in pain, and without enough brain cells to recall your own name. Now get out!"

The girl burst into tears and ran from the room. He had to wonder how many of the head family members had taken advantage of their powers. That is what power was meant for, after all. Lord Hiashi didn't seem to understand this.

Unfortunately, Hinata didn't possess a seal. He couldn't force her into becoming his so easily. And even though Neji was out of the picture, her father Hiashi, and the other family members who adored her were still around.

But something would have to be done….

* * *

Lee looked to his friend, who still stared blankly ahead of him. He sighed deeply and scratched the back of his bobbed head. 

"I think I've told you about our biggest missions now," Lee said. "But… you can't even hear me, can you?" He frowned and put a hand on Neji's shoulder. "Hey, did I ever tell you that you're one of my best friends? I don't think I ever really put it into words properly. I was too busy trying to compete with you that I didn't tell you."

Neji turned toward the window just slightly as a breeze blew in, his eyes still focused on nothing in particular. Lee sighed again and his hand slid away.

Suddenly the door burst open and Tenten ran inside, shutting it behind her.

"Bad news," she panted. "Very bad."

"What happened now?" Lee asked, not sure he wanted to know.

"Lord Hiashi is here in the hospital!"

"You mean… as a patient?"

"Yes!" Tenten said anxiously. "He's unconscious! Apparently he had a seizure and nearly drowned in his own bath."

Lee frowned and glanced to Neji. Neji was still glancing toward the window, wonderfully oblivious to the danger his life was in.

"Suspicious, isn't it?" Lee whispered.

"Huh?" Tenten blinked. "What do you mean?"

"We know there are people out for Neji's life in the Hyuuga clan, and now all of a sudden the head of the Hyuuga clan is unable to defend him."

Tenten stopped in place, realizing how severe the situation had just become. She looked to Neji and moved over to the bed swiftly. She grabbed his shoulders and looked at him fiercely.

"Wake up!" she yelled. "Wake up will you! Don't you realize you're making us all worry!"

Neji looked into her eyes for a moment, as if feeling her pain. But he was still a mere shell of the person he once was. Tenten backed away again and sighed. It was at that time that the door opened once more.

"Oh, it seems that someone is always here," said the man who walked in. His hair was long and dark and tied back into a low ponytail. His eyes were white, and he wore black robes. He was definitely of the Hyuuga clan, and appeared to be at least a couple decades older than them. His voice was deep and emotionless, even a bit cold. He was handsome, but he looked so very unapproachable. With his Konoha forehead protector on, it was impossible for Lee to tell whether or not the man was from a branch family.

"Neji is popular," the man continued, glancing to the oblivious young man. "No matter when I come, there is someone different here."

"We just… wanted to surround him with some familiar faces," Tenten spoke up.

"I see," the man said simply. "Well, continue," he said before leaving the room.

Lee and Tenten shuddered.

"What a weirdo!" Tenten whispered.

"Maybe that was one of the guys Shikamaru and Chouji heard?" Lee whispered back.

Just then, Neji reached for a small figurine of a bird that was left on his nightstand. Gai had left them there since Neji seemed to have a fondness of birds.

Lee smiled as Neji fingered the feathers. "Always a caged bird, aren't you?" he said.

* * *

There was something off. Something in the air that wasn't right. It was as though the very essence of fear and hatred had materialized in this place. Kiba was a little sorry that he had decided to take this shortcut. He didn't feel afraid, but he felt uneasy, like a wolf that knows it's surrounded by predators. The leaves of the trees around him shook and quivered as though they were crying. And here he was, without his faithful dog Akamaru by his side. 

His nose caught a subtle scent on the air. It was a faint smell of perfume lingering on the breeze. Or maybe it was the flowers? Perhaps someone had come to train here? Someone with that perfume? Whatever it was, it was eerie. The leaves quivered again, and the scent grew slightly stronger. Finally, the thickness of the hatred and fear in the air fell around him. That sweet scent was now more frightening than sweet. Kiba suddenly felt that there was danger, or simply a presence that wanted him to know its pain.

Slowly, Kiba looked up, his eyes drifting towards the branches of the tree beside him.

There she was, hanging by the neck, the rope tied clumsily around her throat before she dangled from the tree. Kiba's mouth fell open in shock. Her feet hung just out of reach. He backed away, never seeing anything quite like it. He had seen death and pain, but nothing quite so delicate and hopeless. He backed away and tripped over a branch, toppling onto his back so that he got a full view of the horror above. Quickly, he placed his hand on the ground to steady himself, but instead of grass, his hand fell into a mass of long hair. He turned to see two dead white eyes staring up at him… a mouth frozen in a scream on the purple face. This girl was the same as the other, but her branch had broken.

Beside him, above him, Kiba felt caged. He jumped to his feet and ran as quickly as he could to alert someone. The white eyes of the girls burned into his mind.

* * *

"Unbelievable," Tsunade said. "Two suicides, one attempted suicide, and Lord Hiashi in a coma." 

"It is most unfortunate," the elder Hyuuga stated in his gruff voice. "Isn't it, Hinata?"

"Y… yes Grandfather," Hinata said weakly.

The three sat in Tsuande's office, as Tsunade had been concerned with recent events in the Hyuuga clan. Tsunade could tell that Hinata was uncomfortable.

"Things will return to normal, I assure you," continued the unpleasant, gruff voice. "We will monitor Hiashi's health, and we are comforting the families of the girls who committed suicide."

Tsunade nodded, and glanced to Hinata again as the old man continued speaking.

"As for Neji, we have decided that it's in the clan's best interests to carry out his execution as soon as possible."

The silence dropped onto them like a rock.

"Excuse me?" Tsunade said, her eyes wide.

Hinata looked up, confused about what she had just heard.

"As you've no doubt heard," the man continued, "there is evidence of abuse on the body of each girl. Both have been physically abused… sexually harassed." He looked to Hinata with a hint of satisfaction on his face. "They left suicide notes. The handwriting matches each girl perfectly." He looked to Tsunade again, his face serious. "Both girls point to Neji."

"There must be some mistake," Tsunade said firmly. "I have seen no such notes. I demand to see them."

"Then they will be yours," the old man said. "As well as the notes made in Lord Hiashi's handwriting that approved of Neji's death shortly before he passed into a coma. Neji is not only a danger to those around him, he is also mentally unstable."

"Grandfather, please," Hinata gasped. "Neji would never--"

"I will also," he cut her off, "provide you Neji's own proof. Your dear cousin sometimes keeps a journal, does he not, Hinata?"

Hinata's breath caught in her throat. She had no idea what to say or do to defend her cousin.

"We have in his own writing, an entry detailing his next target. Would you like to guess who it was?" he said, eying her. "It was you, my dear. The boy is now, and has always been a stain on this family."

"Enough!" Tsunade said, shutting him up at once. "You will not spread slander without proof. And I demand this proof as soon as possible! Dismissed!"

Hinata and the old man stood.

"One more thing, Tsunade-sama," his said as he turned toward the door. "I'm sure you're aware of Konoha's policies to keep out of clan business such as this? You are, after all, a capable Hokage. We ask understanding from our leaders."

"I said you are dismissed," Tsunade said fiercely. "Hinata, you stay!"

Hinata froze in place, and she watched the old man leave. Once the door was shut behind him, she turned to Tsunade, who looked utterly exhausted.

"Hinata," Tsunade said gently.

"Tsunade-sama," Hinata said, her voice nearly a whisper. "You know that Cousin Neji would never--"

"I know, Hinata," Tsunade sighed. "But this is getting harder. And your grandfather is right. Even as a Hokage, there is only so much I can do concerning some of the clans of this village. Especially clans with such extreme power, such as yours. We will do everything we can, look at all of the evidence, but really, what we need is for Neji and your father to wake up. Leave Hiashi's health to me, and you must deal with Neji."

Hinata nodded sadly, tension filling her. She left and headed for the hospital.

* * *

Naruto had just stepped out of the hospital room when Hinata ran into him. 

"Woah!" he smiled. "In a hurry? He isn't going anywhere."

Hinata looked into Naruto's deep blue eyes. His smile was as bright and warm as ever, but it didn't warm her heart like it usually did. His presence didn't give her the strength she had hoped it would. She still felt helpless and without hope. She was so close to losing Neji, one of her closest friends, one of the few people in her family who truly cared about her. And not even Naruto could give her the strength to fix this.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I… I need to… to…"

Naruto saw how frantic she looked. How helpless and pained she looked. "You want to speak with him alone for a bit?" Naruto asked as he pulled her into a hug. "Okay. It was just me in there."

Hinata nearly gasped as he hugged her, and she slowly hugged back, appreciating the gesture. But right now, not even this hug could move her the way she wanted it to. The tension was still with her. Still, she held on, knowing that she would regret it later if she didn't. Hadn't she always liked Naruto? She wished the circumstances of this hug could be different. But now, she just wasn't comforted or moved the way she thought she should be.

When he released her, she smiled weakly and walked into the hospital room. She heard the door close behind her, and knew she was now alone with her cousin, who was on his deathbed more than he knew.

"Cousin Neji," she whispered desperately. She walked over to his bedside and placed her hand on his cheek. He was sitting up and had appeared to be looking toward the window, but when she touched him he slowly shifted his eyes to her. Those beautiful white eyes were still so empty, but he was looking into her eyes now. Her eyes, as white as his, but overflowing with tears.

"Cousin Neji," she said in her gentle voice, her tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. "No matter what happens, I don't believe what they are saying about you." Her thumb slid gently against his cheek. "I know you didn't do anything wrong. I know you feel pain whenever you think you've hurt someone else. I know you still feel guilt about the past. I know you didn't hurt anyone! Neji, we all want you back. We know you didn't do anything wrong!"

Her eyes fell onto the curse seal on his forehead, and she couldn't hold back any of her tears. But he only looked at her, not understanding her pain… maybe not even seeing it.

"What happened to you?" she cried. "Please… tell me!"

Silence. Hinata couldn't stand it. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and drew in him close, hugging him tightly.

"Just tell me you didn't really want to die," she cried against him. "Neji, answer me! Wake up! They're going to kill you! I can't watch you die, Neji! Please, wake up!"

And then he moved. His arms wrapped around her gently. She knew without pulling away that he still wasn't himself. Why he moved, she didn't know. And right now, she didn't care. She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. She slid a hand to his cheek again, hoping for a response. His eyes hadn't moved from her once. Even like this, it was as though he were still trying to watch over her.

Slowly, gently, lovingly, she kissed him.

Her hand still on his cheek, her other arm holding him close, she gently pressed her lips to his and closed her eyes, savoring the feeling.

Suddenly she opened her eyes and pulled away, but not far enough to slip out of his arms. She stared at him wide-eyed, and she felt her face flushing a deep scarlet.

"I… I'm sorry!" she said, lowering her eyes. "Cousin Neji… I…"

She stopped, realizing that she would get no response. And now she felt ashamed, and more hurt than ever. If there was any chance he would remember this, he would probably feel disgust for her.

"Can we do anything in this family but hurt you?" Hinata whispered softly.

* * *

_"I'm going to end my life. Forgive me, mother, father. But I can't handle it anymore. For years, Neji has been hurting me. He said if I told anyone, he would kill those I cared about just like he almost killed Hinata-sama. It hurts. I'm going to end my pain. At least this way, he can no longer hurt me, and he has no reason to hurt those I love."_

Gai gritted his teeth as Tsunade read the letters to him. The supposed evidence of Neji's crimes.

"Next letter," she said softly.

_"I just want to die now. I'm not going alone, so don't worry about my spirit. Many of my friends and cousins have been hurt by him, but only a couple of us have the strength to end it. Please kill Neji so that we may find peace. The rapes and beatings make me disgusted with myself. I just want to be pure again."_

"Now for Hiashi's letter that was supposedly to go out to members of the clan," Tsunade said, trying to sound calm.

_"I, Hyuuga Hiashi, have decided that for the good of the clan and all that it stands for, Hyuuga Neji, son of my twin brother, Hyuuga Hizashi, must be put to death. I had thought that any evil in him had vanished, even after he nearly killed my daughter, Hinata, years ago. But the violence he has displayed within the clan is undeniable proof that I was mistaken. Furthermore, his recent mental instability and breakdown make him a danger to the secrets of our clan. Secrets only known to the head family that he should have no knowledge of as a branch family member. For all these reasons, I sentence him to death."_

Gai stood up and started pacing Tsunade's office, his fists clenched.

"The final note," Tsunade said. "Supposedly from Neji's journal."

_"I've hurt so many. I made them cry and bleed. What I did was unforgivable. And yet now, I want Hinata. I ache for her and her untouchable innocence. I want to make it mine. Soon she will understand. I will make her understand."_

"And that's it," Tsunade said, stacking the letters and folding her hands in front of her.

Gai continued to pace silently, angrily, shaking his bobbed head occasionally. He looked more dangerous than Tsunade had ever seen him.

"Let's drop the formalities for a few moments," Tsunade said with a weak smile. "Speak."

"Those are lies!" Gai exploded. "Whoever made those is going to suffer when I find out who it is! I probably know Neji better than most of his own clan! Never, since his first Chuunin exam ended years ago, has he ever acted in a way that wasn't rational. All of my students have hearts of gold!"

"We have a problem," Tsunade said when he started to pace again. "All of the handwriting on all of these letters matches perfectly with other samples from the people who supposedly wrote them."

Gai stopped and looked to her. "Someone must have--"

"Kakashi was away when these were written, and he would have been the best candidate for forgery of this type because of his Sharingan ability. But you and I both know he would never do such a thing. All other experts in forgery have alibis or were away, and no one would copy so accurately. Word patterns, writing style, everything points to the people who were said to have written these."

Gai returned to the chair in front of her desk and slowly sat down, looking as though his blood had drained from his body. "There must be something you can do," he said. "His execution is next week…."

"As Hokage," Tsunade sighed, "I cannot play favorites, Gai. Without evidence, I must allow this sentence to continue." She watched him visibly struggling with this. "Gai, we know it wasn't him. We know he is a good person. But as a leader, I do not have the luxury of picking and choosing who I think should be condemned and who shouldn't. This must be by the books on my end."

"What about on mine?" Gai said, staring into her eyes. "What if Neji suddenly disappeared?"

Tsunade stared at him a moment with a penetrating gaze. "Silence. Do not be folish, Gai," she said firmly. "Do you really think I'd allow you to defy me? You are a Jounin of this village. An elite ninja. I will not tolerate that kind of behavior." She rummaged through her desk drawer for a large notebook and some paperwork. "You need time away from the village. A mission. You are too focused on all of this right now and it's making you rebellious. And while I would just send you away, you might be considered a missing nin and hunted. At least this will keep you busy and no one will bother looking for you." She scribbled something in the notebook and onto the paperwork, then handed him his mission. "This will run long past the date Neji is executed, so it is no longer your concern."

Gai stared at the mission for a long while. "An escort mission to The Sand…?" he said softly, reading through the mission, a determined smile spreading on his face.

"Oh yes," Tsunade said in a light-hearted tone. "Didn't your team help save The Sand Village from destruction once?" She turned to the window. "It would be a shame if they never got to see Neji again. Oh well. You have your orders, Gai." She turned to him with a smile. "I suggest you hurry and pick someone to escort."

* * *

The spray of the shower hit Hinata's body, but it's warmth didn't reach her. She hugged herself and sighed deeply. For a few moments, she brushed her fingertips over her lips. 

What was wrong with her? She reasoned that she had kissed him like that because she did care for him as a family member and was so hurt at the thought of losing him. That is what she would tell him if he remembered.

But… was it true?

Yes, that had to be the reason. After all, hadn't she liked Naruto all these years? And Neji was her cousin. He was more like a brother to her now than a cousin, which made it worse. And Neji had never shown any indication of romantic feelings for her, or anyone. Not that it mattered of course! Of course that wasn't important! After all… she didn't have romantic feelings for him, so it was irrelevant. That kiss was just… confusion. Once they managed to save him she would think it was amusing that she did something as silly as that.

She realized she was blushing. Her cheeks felt warm and she felt even more ashamed of herself. The blush ran from her face, down her neck, down to her chest. She looked down at her body, watching her own chest rise and fall, watching the slight movement of her breasts with each breath. She cupped them gently in her hands. They had grown so much larger than the other girls. She even had moments when she wondered if Naruto would notice them. But still, he looked at Sakura.

Suddenly Neji appeared in her mind and she nearly jumped at the thought of him. She thought of the times he saw her in her nightclothes at night, the ones that held to her curves too tightly. What about the mornings when she had to raced to get to the bathroom before Hanabi wearing only her short bathrobe? Did he notice things like that about her? Did he ever get confused as she was now?

No, he probably didn't. Neji was never confused. Neji was always focused, doing and thinking what he should.

Hinata got out of the shower and toweled herself off. She dressed in a robe and left the bathroom. Just before she reached her room, she felt a presence nearby.

"You are brave, visiting a young man who has plans to make you his next victim," came a deep voice. Hinata heard him before he walked around the corner, and her hands fidgeted to make sure her robe was closed properly.

"Uncle, I don't believe he did those things," Hinata said timidly. "Please, there must be some way to stop this…."

"You think to highly of him," he said. "But I assure you that we are being fair in this and making sure there is no side to this situation left uncovered."

She lowered her eyes, and so she couldn't see the lust in his. It was taking all he had not to tear her robe off. He wanted desperately to pin her delicate-looking body to the floor of her room, violating the flesh that no man had conquered. And suddenly he had the urge to violate her in front of the cousin she loved so dearly. The one who pledged his life to protect her. The one whose very presence hindered not only actions but thoughts against her.

"Please, if there is anything I can do to help him, please tell me," she said. "I'll do anything in my power." She looked up at him with desperate eyes before putting her hand on her door. "Goodnight Uncle," she said before moving into the room and closing the door behind her.

And how his mind raced at her words. There were so many possibilities in the word "anything."

---To Be Continued---

* * *


	3. Break

**Broken Helix: part III: Break**

Little Neji pounded on the large wooden door that stood as the barrier between him and the village. He was always stuck inside of his Uncle Hiashi's large estate, not allowed to go outside. The little boy ached to see what was out there. He knew there was more than this household, but he could never get out. The door was always sealed, and he could never find any way to pry it open. And the walls always seemed to get higher no matter how long or how hard he tried to scale them.

Sometimes he heard voices on the other side of the gate. They said things like, "Wake up," or "Come back," or "Do you remember…?" or "Please don't die!" He didn't understand any of it. But the voices sounded so familiar and warm to him. They always called to him, the people outside. He wanted to meet them. But he was always stuck in here.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from the door?" someone said.

The little boy froze, but then pushed away from the door and tried to run. But the other person was so much faster than he was. He felt himself being slammed hard against the wall, held off the ground so that he was eye level with the older boy.

"You don't deserve to go out there! You don't deserve them!" the older boy yelled. "Your fate is sealed."

This boy looked so much like he did, as though he were an older brother. But the little boy had no brothers or sisters. He had no one. And it was odd, because this older boy called himself Neji also. He looked as though he were around twelve or thirteen. That age sounded right to little Neji.

"Stop trying to free yourself!" the older Neji yelled, slamming him against the wall again. "You'll only hurt and destroy everything you touch out there! You don't deserve to be out there! There is nothing good in you!"

Little Neji started to cry. This older boy was always so frightening. And the older boy probably had a right to be angry. Once, Little Neji had tried to kill him. He caught the older boy in a dark, dark room, with a dead girl at his feet. The girl looked had blood seeping from her mouth and bruises everywhere. She had white eyes too, and short hair, and she was very sad and pretty looking. For some reason, the whole sight made little Neji go into a rage, and he dove at the older boy with a kunai. He managed to stab him twice, but for some reason he couldn't manage a third strike. It was as if something held him back. And then he realized that his own chest and stomach were bleeding in the same places as the older boy's. Perhaps this older Neji was so fast that he didn't see it when he attacked as well? And little Neji heard voices outside the gate screaming for him to stop.

But now, all of the voices were silent.

* * *

Sakura walked in early that morning and got quiet a surprise. She expected to see Neji awake, but what she didn't bargain on were the many people crammed into his room. From the looks of things, they were all from the Hyuuga clan. There were people with white eyes, the vine-like X-shaped curse seal on their foreheads. There were also people without white eyes and seals, most likely people who had married into the clan or who simply hadn't inherited Byakugan. The latter still grew their hair very long, and had the X-shaped symbol embroidered into their clothing.

Considering recent events, Sakura found their presence very alarming. But when she saw the way they treated Neji, she was put at ease. A few of the children stood on their toes, trying to get his attention from his bedside. An elderly woman brushed his long, dark hair, and occasionally she would say something to him about her family or the weather. One of the young boys talked about his recent achievements in his favorite sports as though Neji could fully listen to him and understand him. A few other adults showed him pictures or simply said hello.

Sakura reminded herself that the Hyuuga clan was extremely large, and they couldn't all be out to get Neji. In fact, it would make more sense that the majority of the clan liked him. The way they spoke to him, it was obvious that they loved him very much.

It took a few moments for Sakura to notice that Lee was asleep in a chair in the very corner of the room. Someone had placed a blanket over him to keep him warm, and the people in the room now were very careful not to wake him.

"He's been here all night," an old woman said to Sakura. "That's what a nurse said. Neji always speaks so highly of that boy Lee."

"He does?" Sakura asked, surprised. Neji had grown into a very kind person, but she couldn't picture him praising Lee to his family.

"Of course!" the woman chuckled. "It's been fun coming in from time to time and meeting all of Neji's friends. He only has nice things to say about all of you. Thank you for watching over him."

Sakura smiled and glanced around the room. But suddenly, her mood darkened.

"Is Neji still… going to die?" she asked, not caring how tactless she sounded.

A few of the people near here went silent and looked down at the floor.

"We've been trying to find evidence to save him," a man said. "But we can't."

"We'd all take his place if we could," a young woman said.

"Take the place of a criminal?" someone said from the doorway.

Sakura turned to see a few young men from the Hyuuga clan standing there.

"He's not a criminal!" yelled a young boy.

"Don't mind us," one of the young men growled. "We just came to look into the eyes of the guy who raped and tortured our sisters."

Suddenly the voices erupted around Sakura, and she quickly moved out the of the way as the argument exploded in the room. She could hardly tell who was speaking, but for some reason, she felt it wasn't her place to bring order to the situation.

"How could you think he did it!"

"Why are you so convinced he's some kind of saint!"

"Get out!"

"Fuck off, old man!"

"Mind your manners! What has gotten into you!"

"Maybe we're tired of people sticking up for this asshole!"

"Leave Cousin Neji alone!"

"Your Cousin Neji is a rapist and a murderer!"

"And your sister was a lying whore!"

And then, the fight broke out. The young children screamed and backed up against the walls. Sakura was pushed backwards roughly, but she felt someone catch her, and turned her head slightly to see Lee. Lee didn't concern himself with breaking up the fight. Instead, he made Neji his first priority, getting between his bed and anyone who might threaten him.

"Enough!" came a girlish voice from the door.

Hinata stood there, hospital staff standing behind her nervously. Some of the clan members managed to break the fight apart, but arguments were still continuing.

"Neji is dying soon," growled one of the young men who began the fight. "He's dying, and you all need to face facts! All the evidence points to him and you're treating him like some condemned angel! What the hell is wrong with you people! Say your goodbyes and let this worthless scum die a slow and painful death!"

"I SAID ENOUGH!" Hinata yelled with such fiercness in her voice that some people drew back from her. Sakura and Lee stood in shook, as did everyone within view. "Please," Hinata said, the gentleness in her voice returning, her eyes falling to the floor. "I need you all to leave now," she said.

The head family member had spoken, and as everyone cleared out of the room, Hinata felt a pang of guilt for using her power over the branch families. She slowly made her way to Neji's beside, standing opposite of Sakura and Lee. None of them spoke until the last of the clan members had left and shut the door.

"This is horrible," Lee said softly.

"You did the right thing, Hinata," Sakura smiled gently.

A tear slipped down Hinata's cheek. "M…my family, all of my relatives, my friends… my entire clan is falling apart," she said softly.

And then came the whisper, barely audible, almost like an illusion. "Save them…" Neji said softly, his eyes closed as if in thought.

The three friends gasped and asked him to repeat himself. They asked him to open his eyes and talk to them. They asked him for a simple sign that it wasn't all an illusion that they shared. But when Neji opened his eyes again, they were still empty. Once again he was a shell.

* * *

"He most likely did it," Sai said as he ate his bowl of ramen. 

"WHAT!" Naruto yelled, startling the other customers in the ramen shop. "Are you insane!"

"All of the evidence points to him," Sai shrugged. "He probably fooled you all. It's not that hard. So many of you are stupid."

"If you had any idea of the kind of person Neji is--"

"What do you know about him?" Sai asked calmly, turning to Naruto.

"He's a good person!" Naruto said firmly.

"A good person? Like Sasuke?" Sai asked, raising a brow.

Naruto fell silent and stared at his food.

"You always insist that Sasuke is a good person," Sai continued. "When I spoke the truth in the past about him being a traitor to the village who seriously injured you, you would always get angry at me and Sakura would hit me. But none of that was a lie. What do you consider 'good' then? All of the evidence pointed to Sasuke and yet you have still always called him 'good.' All of the evidence points to Neji now and yet, to you, he is still 'good.' What then, is good? From what I can tell, you base good on how much you like a person. That, Naruto, is not good. That is delusion. The bonds you form are strong. Perhaps too strong."

"People make mistakes!" Naruto said. "That doesn't make them bad people. Sasuke… he was just confused! There were things he didn't understand…. He just needed… he needed…" Naruto sighed softly. "I don't know what he needed. But he was good. He is good. He risked his life for me and Sakura plenty of times. He smiled and had goals and deep thoughts. He wasn't evil!"

"People change," Sai said, as calm as ever. "Sasuke changed. And from what I know of Neji, apparently he didn't change."

"What the hell do you know about Neji!" Naruto snapped.

"Do you think that because I was in such a secretive position before I joined your team it means that I was under a rock all my life?" Sai sighed. "Neji was always at the top of his class and was noted for his strength and power that grew exponentially. The most potentially dangerous ninja in our clan do not go unnoticed."

"You think a bunch of simple notes in your stupid books down in the Roots section of the Konoha library can tell you shit about anyone!" Naruto said lowly.

"Isn't it true that he nearly killed Hinata years ago? He was cruel, obsessed with putting others down to make himself feel more in control of his life. Isn't that accurate?"

"You just said people change!" Naruto said. "Who the hell told you that anyway! Some idiot from the Hyuuga clan who is living in the past!"

"I said Sasuke changed. Neji didn't. He was cold-hearted back then, and apparently he is now. Accept the evidence against him, Naruto."

Naruto felt his hands shaking. "Sai," he said softly. "You're always talking about people like you know them. You always talk about them like you know the pain they went through. You never listened to Sasuke tell his story. You didn't hear Neji's story. You have no idea. No idea…. You weren't around when Sasuke saved me again and again when we first became a team. You weren't around years ago when Neji almost got killed sacrificing himself just to buy me enough time to try to get Sasuke back." While his face looked calm, a tear landed on Naruto's hand as he sat there. "Sasuke is my best friend. But it was Neji who was one of the first people to put all of his faith in me. And you know what? I think you want me to come right out and tell you what happened in the past and how he changed for the better. You want me to tell you so you can figure out why so many people are trying so hard to save his life. Well, I'm not going to do that Sai. When he's back to normal, look him in the eye and tell me if you see any evil there. Then we'll talk."

Their meal had finished. Naruto got up to leave.

"It's too late," Sai said without looking at Naruto. "He's out of time. In a few days from now, he'll be dead."

Naruto stood completely still for a moment. He then slowly walked away.

* * *

"It's time you said goodbye to him," Kurenai said, her crimson eyes focused on her students. 

Kiba and Shino stared at her for a moment. Hinata was elsewhere, so they stood together on the bridge without her.

"Hey! We've still got a few days!" Kiba said, trying to grin. "I mean… anything can happen in a few days! Right?"

"We will make something happen," Shino said. "We will make him wake up."

"You're out of time," Kurenai said, remaining calm. "Say your goodbyes, or you'll regret it. That's a request from me. Right now, Kakashi is telling Naruto and Sakura the same thing. Asuma is telling Ino, Shikmaru, and Chouji the same thing. All of you must not leave this undone. Say goodbye to him. And go quickly."

She then left to allow them time to think about what she had said.

"This is stupid," Kiba said, staring at the water below. "We're going to save him. It feels sick to say goodbye."

"She wants to make sure we have no regrets," Shino said, standing straight and calm as usual, his sunglasses hiding his eyes.

"I hate goodbyes," Kiba growled. "Isn't that like giving up!"

"But what would Neji think if we didn't say goodbye to him?" Shino said. "In the event that he became conscious again, it would hurt him. He would think we didn't care."

"If everyone started saying goodbye to me I would think they had given up!" Kiba said.

Shino stood silent for a moment. "I would say goodbye to you if it were you in his position," he said finally. "But I would not give up."

Kiba glanced to him, but said nothing.

"I would express how sad I was at the thought of never seeing you again," Shino continued. "I would tell you that I valued your friendship. I would tell you that I would take your place. And I would tell you that I would work until the end to save your life."

Kiba didn't know what to say to this, but it made him feel better.

"So, are you going to say that to Neji?" Kiba asked.

"No," replied Shino. "Someone else will say that to him. Someone closer to him. That is something I would only say to you."

* * *

Little Neji sat with his back to the large door that kept him inside the estate. He looked around at the plants and flowers of the front lawn area. They all looked so drained of color… so lifeless. He looked around to make sure older Neji wasn't watching him, then he shut his eyes, listening to the voices that came flooding through the door one by one. 

"This is troublesome," one person said. "And it would be naïve to say that this isn't goodbye, because it might be. But we'll work to the end. I'm trying to think of everything I can, but this isn't like a game of Go. But nothing is too troublesome to save a comrade…."

"Kurenai-sensei said that we should come say goodbye to you," said another. "I thought it was stupid at first. I mean, we're still going to save you. But Shino told me that you might need the support now, so, I'm coming to give that support. I'm not saying goodbye. Neither is Akamaru, right Akamaru? Exactly… it's not goodbye at all…."

And then came a voice that sounded like it held incredible hidden pain. "Hey…. I, um…. Look…. This isn't goodbye, okay? Kakashi-sensei just wanted me to do this. He made me actually. But, damnit! Neji, wake up! I hate feeling powerless! It's stupid, isn't it? I've always wanted to be Hokage and yet I couldn't save Sasuke years before and now I can't save you, and you're right in front of me! Neji, you said I had better eyes than you, so why the hell can't I see a way to save the people close to me! You're the genius, so wake up and tell me what to do! You can't die this way!"

Little Neji turned towards the door and knocked on it, but no one could hear him. He called to them, but no one answered. They only kept talking and talking, but he couldn't ask them to let him out. And he wondered why they always spoke where only he could hear them. They couldn't possibly know him, after all. He was always trapped. And according to older Neji, he didn't deserve them.

More voices drifted though, more sadness and desperation. But finally, there were a few voices that sounded different. They sounded more determined.

And the last words he heard were, "Let's go, Neji."

* * *

Hinata ran through the hospital that night. She hadn't seen Neji in days because of the issues she needed to attend to in the Hyuuga clan. But it hurt her that she couldn't see him. He didn't have much time left. She made it to the correct hallway and slowed to a walk. But when she made it to his door, she wasn't the only one there. 

"Grandfather?" she said softly, lowering her eyes.

"Leave," he said gruffly. "We are removing Neji from the hospital and keeping him in your father's household until his execution in a few days."

He stood there with a group of male members from the clan. Members who clearly couldn't care less what happened to Neji. Hinata panicked. Once Neji was back in the hands of the clan, there would be no escape for him. His friends and comrades couldn't come see him there. Time will have run out too quickly.

"He needs the care of the hospital a bit longer," she said gently. "He should be comfortable."

"It matters not," the old man said. "He is denied nourishment from this point on. No food, no water, no sunlight. Pure and precious resources need not be wasted on him. He will be locked away until he is dealt with for all the clan to see. This is what his rebellousness cost him. Remember it well."

Suddenly Hinata found herself in front of the door to Neji's hospital room, blocking their entry. She stared at the men with wide, frightened eyes.

"Please don't do this to him," she said, her voice shaking. "I can't bare this…!"

"Restrain her," the old man said.

Before Hinata could blink, three men pulled her out of the way and held tightly to her.

"The rest of you," the old man said, his eyes not leaving Hinata, "take Neji. When you get him back to the main house, drain him of enough blood to keep him weak, but still alive." His eyes pierced Hinata with a dark satisfaction. "Alive… and suffering."

"No!" Hinata cried out once the door was knocked open. "You can't do this! You defy my father! He wouldn't want this!"

The old man rose his hand to strike her, but was stopped by the voices that burst from the inside of the hospital room.

"He's gone!" the men inside called out.

"What!" roared the old man. He hurried into the room to see the empty bed. The window was wide open. "He's escaped! Evading the arrest of the clan and not accepting his due punishment. Find him and bring him back! Break his limbs if you have to! He's a dangerous criminal! Put an alert for his arrest out in the village! If he resists, then kill him if you must. But I want him back alive to suffer what he deserves!"

He motioned for the men holding Hinata to release her and join the search. Once they were gone he moved close to her and spoke lowly so that only she could hear him.

"I was being lenient," he said darkly. "But now your dear cousin will suffer the pain and humiliation of having his eyes removed while he waits locked away before his execution. He will suffer and die in the same darkness that taints his soul."

Hinata backed away slowly, then turned and burst into a fearful run. She had to find him. She had to find him before they did!

* * *

He sat on the hillside, taking a break from the various reports he was getting from his spies. He slid the glasses from his face and rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing deeply. No information about the surrounding countries and villages would get past him, no matter how hard people tried to conceal things. And being so far from those villages, no one would ever suspect a thing. The Sound clan was too hard to track, so he hardly worried that he would be found. 

He loosened the silver hair in his ponytail and sighed again, slipping his glasses back on before continuing to look at his reports. He could be doing this indoors, but unlike the one he worked for, he needed the sunlight.

"Kabuto, sir!" another spy said, appearing beside him. "Information about Konoha and the Fire Country," the man said, handing him another report.

"Thank you," Kabuto said, adding it to the pile.

As soon as the man left, Kabuto glanced at the file and picked it up again. Konoha always held more interest than the other countries. He glanced through the information gathered. Most of the notes were hearsay from the outlying areas of Konoha, nothing of great importance. Tsunade was a fine leader indeed. Nothing about power struggles with other villages, nothing about possible collapse… absolute nothing of concern. He was just about to toss the file when something caught his eye.

"Conflict within Konoha's most noble and dangerous Hyuuga clan," Kabuto read.

This information wouldn't have seemed worthy of a second thought to anyone else, but Kabuto was fully aware of what the fall of a single clan could mean. If Konoha lost a clan as powerful as the Hyuugas, their forces in battle would be greatly weakened. Many years ago, when the Uchiha clan fell, it was the same.

Kabuto kept reading and found rumors of a possible execution that was dividing the clan, as well as mysterious deaths. But all he could really do right now was keep all of this in mind. He skimmed the rest of the information for anything significant. He checked to see if there was any unusual movement from Konoha's ninja. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but he did notice one thing. Maito Gai was spotted with his team, heading west. They appeared to have an injured person with him, whose face remained hidden by a cloak at all times.

Kabuto realized that the Akatsuki, enemy to both the Sound and Konoha, had been spotted in the same area as Gai not long ago. He doubted the two were related, or that Gai would be stupid enough to take an injured person into battle against the Akatsuki, but he still felt uneasy. While the Sound and Konoha were not allies, the Akatsuki were a common enemy. And the Sound clan needed Konoha to help them manage the Akatsuki's behavior. If Gai were to run into them now, that would be one less powerful Konoha team to help thin the Akatsuki forces for the Sound.

Orochimaru, Kabuto's "employer" and leader of the Sound, would want to know this information. Orochimaru made it his business to know what the most dangerous Jounin were up to, as well as anything else related to Konoha, no matter how slight. But there was someone else who would be interested in the Akatsuki movement….

But maybe, just for kicks, along with the Akatsuki information, Kabuto would "accidently" slip a copy of the Konoha file under Sasuke's door. It was always fun to test the young man's affiliation and resolve.

* * *

Hinata woke up an stared at the ceiling. It had been two days, and still no word. And each time she woke up over these past couple days, it depressed her that Neji wasn't sitting there, ready to question why she was asleep in his bed. 

Hinata had found the spare key to his apartment at her father's house. She was more than happy to escape home and all of the hatred there. With her father in his coma, things were in utter chaos. She returned there every day to manage what she could, and to settle the disputes that were possible to settle, and then she came to Neji's apartment at night, not telling anyone where she was headed. It was just becoming so unbearable to deal with the fighting within the clan, and she needed some time to herself. This place had been searched enough, and she knew they most likely wouldn't return.

Neji's scent drifted from the pillow, a sensual, insense-like scent from the herbs he used when meditating in his bath. She felt a little indecent taking in that scent, as if it were too private to make her own. His entire room spoke of who he was on the inside… the person he hid from so many. She doubted that he let many people see this place. There were small crystal fountains on the tables that emitted faint colored light at night, as well as the soothing sound of running water. The bed was large to accommodate his height, but it was so soft and relaxing. She knew he meditated a lot, but even for him, the whole place spoke of comfort.

She rolled onto her stomach and inhaled again, her large breasts against the soft mattress. But her eyes snapped open and a deep blush crept over her face. Had Neji ever had a girl in this bed? She quickly sat up and got dressed.

But when she got to the front room, she was startled to find someone waiting for her.

"Leaving the door unlocked is very careless, Hinata," said the deep, cold voice.

"Uncle?" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Unlike you," he said, "I'm allowed to be here. I'm searching for some evidence."

"There is nothing," Hinata said softly, "because there were no crimes committed."

"Why do you defend him so?" he said, his voice growing even more cold and unfeeling. "Do you love him so much that you are blinded to the facts?"

The word 'love' nearly caused Hinata to turn a shade of scarlet.

"He's my cousin," she said timidly. "Of course I love him."

A dark smile spread across the man's face. "Oh, is that all? Then it should be easier for you to get over his death then."

Hinata blinked at him, not understanding.

"Didn't Neji tell you before all of this started?" he continued with a triumphant smile.

"Tell me… what?" she asked.

He chuckled. "My dear child, I was not here searching for Neji's crimes today. Rather, I was searching for evidence of the crime of his father, Hizashi."

"Uncle Hizashi is dead," Hinata said softly. "What could you need from him?"

"Hizashi's crime," he said, drawing closer, "was the crime of letting us all believe that Neji is actually his son."

Hinata stared for a moment, not sure she had heard correctly. "That can't be right," Hinata said. "Father would have told me."

"Perhaps your father didn't know. That disgusting boy is not your cousin, and I see no reason why he should be allowed special treatment by the head family as someone from some distant, forgotten branch family who has been so far removed by the ages that he is no longer of any relation to Lord Hiashi."

"No…."

"So if blood is what holds you to him," he chuckled coldly, "then you need not fear for him anymore."

Hinata stared at the floor, her pulse racing. It was getting harder and harder to protect Neji's life. If all of this were true, the head family would have a harder time saving him. If her father woke up, many people in the clan would think he had little reason to give Neji protection.

"One more thing," the cold voice ripped into her thoughts. "I'm the one carrying out Neji's punishment."

"What!" she cried.

"I don't plan on using pain-killers when I take his eyes from him. Perhaps I will take his hands as well?"

Suddenly she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him as she looked up with pleading eyes.

"Please," she begged. "Please, don't torture him! Please Uncle… please!" She sank down to her knees in front of him, "I beg of you, spare him the pain if you must take his life…."

And he stared down at her vulnerable form. Her down on her knees. Her eyes filled with tears that slowly lowered to the floor. Her soft hands clenched into fists on her lap. Her long hair cascading around her body. Her mouth begging for him to grant her this wish.

Her mouth… lips so soft… so warm….

The sound of his pants coming undone….

The sound of a forbidden deal being made….

The sound of consent so reluctantly given….

…The sound of Hinata's mouth… though no words could escape it now.

---To Be Continued---

(Sorry this took so long everyone! But the next chapter is nearly finished, so I hope you forgive me! Comments loved! Special thanks to Key-chan for the character analysis.)


	4. Fall

Little Neji opened his tired eyes and felt a strong presence sitting next to him. He expected to see older Neji, but sat up suddenly when he realized there was someone he had never seen before. This person was older than him, and even older than the other Neji. He wore a uniform the color of the deepest blood, and had brownish-red hair. There were dark marks around his eyes, and on the left side of his forehead, the character for the word 'love.'

"Welcome to the desert, Neji," the young man said in a gentle tone.

"Who are you?" little Neji asked.

"My name is Gaara," the young man replied.

But then, before little Neji could move closer, Gaara disappeared from view.

**Broken Helix: part IV: Fall**

"How did you do that!" Lee asked. "You got Neji to come to his senses for a minute. How?"

Gaara looked up to see Lee in the doorway.

"He wasn't himself," Gaara said. "He doesn't remember me, and he didn't seem to know where he was."

"But you got him to speak to you!" Lee exclaimed. "I only got here in time to hear him ask who you were. What else did he say?"

"That was all," Gaara said.

Gaara waited for Lee to sit down before continuing.

"In Tsunade's message to me she explained that Neji may have had a breakdown," Gaara explained. "I had more than enough of those myself before Shukaku was removed. But being caught in one's mind cannot be a constant state. The body still perceives." He looked to Neji, who was now staring at the ceiling blankly. "Think of it as dreaming. Your mind is somewhere your body is not. But when your body tells you that it is time to wake up, or that something is stimulating it, your mind shifts back to reality."

"But we've tried to make him alert to us," Lee said sadly.

"If he has had a breakdown," Gaara said, "his mind is in a place that he can't escape from so easily. But he must still sleep. And when he wakes up, his mind must take in his body's surroundings in order to bring him back to reality. In other words, when you saw me speaking to him, it was right after he woke up. He started to perceive his surroundings, and he saw me sitting here with him. But his mind caught up and overtook the body again, and now he is as he was before."

Lee looked at Neji for a long time before looking at Gaara seriously again. "Doesn't this mean that he doesn't want to wake up?"

Gaara sensed that Lee was very hurt by the situation. Lee, Tenten, and Gai all looked like they had reached their emotional limits when they brought Neji to his village. Even Tsunade seemed tense in her messages to him, though she tried to remain neutral and calm the whole time.

"Maybe he doesn't know how to wake up," Gaara said finally. "If he knew how, he would. Especially with all of you supporting him."

Lee was still tense, but softened just a bit before Gaara's eyes.

"Thank you," Lee said. "I know you're risking a lot, getting involved with the inner conflicts of our village."

"I would not be alive if your team and Naruto's team hadn't come to save me from the Akatsuki," Gaara said. "You all saved me and my village, and for that I am thankful." He then smiled serenely. "At least that is what I will tell you all to stop you from thanking me every three seconds. I would be doing this anyway."

For once in a very long time, Lee smiled.

"Now, go back to sleep," Gaara said. "You haven't had enough. This is the third time I've had to say this in one morning. Tenten was here ten minutes before you, and Gai ten minutes before her."

"But… have you been sitting with Neji all night?" Lee asked.

"No," Gaara smiled softly. "I have also been standing."

Lee laughed and finally obeyed, heading towards the guest room. There was something about Gaara that put him at ease.

* * *

"It's Neji's execution day, isn't it?" Ino said cheerfully. 

Hinata looked up from her ice cream as Ino sat across from her and Sakura after ordering ice cream of her own.

"It is…" Hinata said softly.

"So why don't you look more cheerful?" Ino asked.

"Ino!" Sakura said. "That's cruel!"

"It's not cruel at all," Ino said. "An execution day, but no one to execute! It's wonderful!"

Hinata hadn't thought of it this way. She had been so caught up in the fact that Neji was missing.

"So you don't think he's in danger?" Sakura asked.

Ino leaned in and spoke very softly. "Of course not," she whispered. "I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Gai took him somewhere. Don't you think it's odd that Neji's team left for a mission at the same time he went missing?"

"Kakashi hasn't said anything," Sakura whispered. "And Kurenai would have said something to poor Hinata."

"What if they don't know?" Ino said. "Think about it. The less people that know the better, right? So if anyone is questioned, no one would actually know anything."

Hinata and Sakura looked at each other.

"I hope you're right," Hinata whispered.

"Of course I am!" Ino grinned. "Besides… that's what Shikamaru thinks anyway," she smiled sheepishly.

Hinata suddenly looked at the time. "Oh… I have to go now…" she said softly.

"Where to?" Sakura asked. "Maybe you should stay away from home today? Would you like to stay over?"

"N… no," Hinata said sadly. "There are things I must do."

She quickly got up and left, and Ino looked to Sakura.

"Why do I get the feeling that she really did want to stay with you?" Ino asked.

"I'm not sure," Sakura said, watching Hinata's back. "But I got the same feeling."

* * *

Hinata entered the cold study and shut the door behind her. She could already feel the cold, unfeeling eyes mentally undressing her. 

"Do not dispair so much," her most hated uncle said in mock sympathy. "When Neji is dead, you will no longer have to suffer this. Won't you be pleased when we find him and kill him?"

Hinata said nothing. She only approached the desk at which he sat. He slid his chair away from the desk and beckoned her closer with a finger. She obeyed and went to him, then slowly sank to her knees in front of him as he undid his pants. When she rose up on her knees, took him in her hand, and lowered her head he stopped her.

"Wait," he said. "Undo your top."

She shut her eyes for a moment, but did as she was told, unzipping the front of her shirt and slidding if off her shoulders, then taking off the layers underneath until she was bare from the waist up. It felt so cold in the room, and she wanted to cover himself from his disgusting gaze.

"Begin now," he commanded.

And it began. She busied her mouth trying to please him, hoping it would end soon. It was as though bitterness and disgust had become an object and was now inside her mouth. She closed her eyes, trying to pretend it was Naruto, but this made her feel even more like a whore.

The deed seemed to take a hellish eternity, and when he was finally spent she felt as though she would vomit, the contents of his release feeling heavy in her stomach and on her tongue. She felt exposed and ashamed and discarded. She wanted to be held and caressed and told it would be okay. She tried to think of Naruto again, but the thought was no longer appealing. She didn't want him to see her with this shame. But deep down, she also knew that it would do no good anyway.

"May I go now…?" she whispered, her eyes on the floor, her arms wrapped around her chest as she knelt there, shivering.

He didn't answer, and when she looked up at him he had a look of anger and disgust like she had never seen.

"Filthy little slut," he muttered. "In love with Neji, even when you thought he was your cousin."

He backhanded her in the face and her head hit the desk. Before she could recover he had pinned her to the floor.

"You're wrong," Hinata cried, trying to get out of his grasp. "He's my cousin! My friend!"

He hit her again… and again… and again. "So the pure and proper Lady Hinata would open her mouth like this to save any friend of hers!" he yelled.

Another hard slap. She tasted blood in her mouth. "N… no! Yes! …NO!" she cried in confusion.

"Would I find you sleeping night after night in the empty home of any friend in danger!" he yelled as he landed another blow to her face. Tears streamed from her eyes. "How many times? How many times has he touched you? Tasted you? Imagine what we could cut off of him for daring to take a daughter of the head family! HOW MANY TIMES!"

"Never!" she cried. "He would never--"

He slapped her again. "Tell me the truth!" He grabbed her shoulders and slammed her back hard against the floor.

"NEVER!" she screamed.

"Don't lie to me you filthy little slut!" He slammed her against the floor again.

"HE DOESN'T WANT ME! HE HAS NEVER LOVED ME!" she cried out, her face red and tears pouring from her.

He let her go, his hands slidding away from her slowly. He lifted his weight from her body and stood, composing himself and sitting in his chair once again. Hinata was curled up into a ball on the floor, crying her eyes out.

"Dress yourself," he commanded with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "And get out of my sight."

Hinata quickly grabbed her things and fled from the room. She dressed and ran away, leaping from rooftop to rooftop so that no one would see her, and she made it to Neji's empty apartment. She locked the doors and windows and threw herself onto his bed, crying. Her hated uncle was right. She was nothing but a whore… for giving her body in such a way, and for just now realizing that she was falling so deeply in love with the one she thought was her cousin. The one who could never love her as she loved him. And she couldn't even save his life! She couldn't even find him now!

She felt powerless, dirty, unloved, useless….

…Nothing but a whore.

* * *

Another day had passed, and it was now morning again. Gaara sat by Neji's bedside, waiting for that moment when he would wake. No one knew he was here. Temari had scolded him for working too hard as Kazekage, as well as taking this upon himself. But he knew very well that Neji was one of the people who worked so hard to save him. And he wanted to save Neji. He wanted to see Lee, Tenten, and Gai happy. Naruto as well. He knew that Naruto was hurting even without being told. 

And slowly, Neji's eyes opened. Gaara leaned in and opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't get a word out. Neji reached up and pulled him into a crushing hug. Gaara could only stand like that, wide-eyed and startled, for a long moment.

"Gaara!" Neji said, clearly forgetting his strength, his voice uncharacteristically childish and fearful. "I thought you were a dream! Please don't go this time! He's going to kill me! He knows I can get out now if you take me!"

"Who?" Gaara asked, still bent somewhat uncomfortably over the bed.

"Neji!" he whispered. "The other one…." His voice dropped so that it was almost inaudible as he whispered into Gaara's ear. "He's going to kill me…."

Just then Temari walked through the door. She stopped and stared at the sight in front of her.

"Abusing your power as Kazekage, I see," she said in an amused tone, staring at her brother. "But honestly Gaara. The leader of the village can't be in a long-term relationship."

Gaara gave a soft smile in response to her, and gently but firmly got free of Neji's grasp. But he still held Neji's hand to keep a physical connection. But Neji seemed to be drifting off into his own world. Quickly, Gaara turned Neji's hand face up. Sand suddenly rushed into the room through the open window. It was a small stream of sand that landed on Neji's hand and onto the bed. Neji stared at it as it touched him.

"You aren't where you think you are," Gaara whispered to him. "You aren't who you think you are." He pointed to Neji's face. "Your eyes can see through any illusion. You just need to remember how to use them. Remember the powers of your clan."

Neji blinked a few times, then slowly started to drift off. His grip on Gaara's hand loosened, and once again, his mind was not where his body was.

"That was at least a few minutes," Temari said. "I'm impressed, Gaara."

"You and Kankurou did the same for me many times," Gaara said as he commanded the sand back outside, leaving no trace of it in the room.

"But we had Granny Chiyo's help back then," she sighed.

"He will come back," Gaara said. "He has too much in this world to live for."

* * *

Little Neji felt like crying when Gaara disappeared, but he knew it wouldn't do him any good. He slipped out of bed and went to the mirror. He stared into the reflection, at his white eyes that seemed violet in the light of his room. He stared and stared, but nothing happened. He sighed deeply and sank to his knees. 

He thought he heard a soft knock on his door, but decided it was nothing. But it came again, a little louder. Little Neji knew that the only one around was older Neji, but older Neji never waited for permission to enter. He always just seemed to appear. Slowly and quietly, little Neji opened the door to the hallway. There was no one there. He stepped outside and glanced down at both sides of the hall, thinking someone would appear. But still, there was no one. Sighing sadly, he backed into his room again. It was then that he felt someone behind him. He had backed up into someone. Someone who had somehow appeared in his empty room. Slowly, his heart pounding, he turned around.

He screamed.

There was the girl that he thought older Neji had killed. She weezed and coughed up a disgusting river of blood from her mouth. Her skin was turning a sickly shade of grayish-blue, her short hair caked with blood. Her beige jacked was drenched with blood and she stank of it. She reached out a thin, sickly looking hand towards him.

"You killed me…" she whispered, her voice eerie and gurgled and frightening. "Why…? Why did you kill me…?"

Neji's voice caught in his throat. He backed up into the wall in the hallway and then bolted down the hall. But she was after him. He looked behind him to see her running… her body crooked and limping, more blood pouring from her. She jerked with every movement and shuddered horribly. It was the most frightening thing little Neji had ever seen.

He burst out into the courtyard and pounded frantically at the wooden door.

"Help!" he cried. "Let me out! Someone help me! Gaara! ANYONE!"

He was afraid to turn around. Afraid to see her standing there. But he felt someone there. He knew he wasn't alone. A cold hand gripped his shoulder and dug its fingers into him painfully.

"Think you're better than me, do you?" an older boy's voice asked.

Before he could yell for help again, little Neji was whirled around to face the new horror. Another boy around the same age as older Neji. He had thick eyebrows and a strange bowl cut. He wore all green, but blood stained his clothing.

"Think you can beat me?" the boy asked, his rage seeming to melt his face until it was disgusting to behold. "You tore down my dreams, but it will not go unpunished."

The older boy appeared to disappear from view for a split second, but Neji knew he was still there when he felt the kick to his chest. He literally went flying back against the gate, slamming into it with such force that he stopped breathing. He swore his ribs were broken. He tried and tried to gasp for air, but he was grabbed by the throat and lifted to his feet. Then the older boy punched him in the face, then the stomach, and anywhere else he could reach. Little Neji couldn't yell, or scream, or cry, or breathe. He couldn't bare this any longer. He just wanted it to end.

Unfortunately, he got his wish. The older boy backed away, and a sharp pain cut through little Neji's insides. He looked down to see the contents of his own body spilling out from his stomach and onto the ground in a pathetic red mass. He didn't have time to think rationally. He only knew that he would die. He looked up to see that the entire courtyard was now a cavern of spider webs. And he was trapped. Unable to even call for help. Far above him, the shadowy figure of a spider laughing down at him. Another sharp pain cut through little Neji's shoulder, and he vaguely realized that it was arrows piercing him.

His vision was going black, his body cold. As everything grew patchy he saw a man moving towards him, dressed in bright red robes. The symbol for fire was on his hat, and when he removed it, there was a young man there, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Little Neji tried to open his mouth to plead for help, but his energy was gone. It hurt to even blink.

"Kill this dropout," the yound man said.

Neji heard these words, and was almost glad that his pain would end. He shut his eyes and waited. His body felt numb, then weightless. The pain was leaving him.

"Still think you're worthy enough to leave this place?" a cold voice asked.

Little Neji opened his eyes to see older Neji stared down at him with a cold smirk. The blood, the pain, the others… they were all gone as if they never existed. He was unharmed.

"Suffer here as you deserve to," older Neji said. He then turned to walk back into the house.

"STOP!" little Neji yelled.

Older Neji stopped, but didn't turn.

"You did all those things!" Little Neji yelled. "You hurt all those people! WHY!"

"It was their fate," older Neji answered simply.

"Shut up! How could you do that to people! How could you treat them like this! I hate you! I HATE YOU!"

And then, there was laughter. Older Neji, his back still to the younger boy, was laughing. The laugh was bitter, eerie, and mocking.

"That's why it never ends!" older Neji said, turning to face the little boy. "You think you're doing the right thing, but together, we can never get out! You are the reason I cannot get out. I am the reason you cannot get out. I make you feel fear and hatred, you make me feel guilt and shame. We will never get out!"

Little Neji stared up at him, something turning in his mind.

_"You aren't where you think you are."_

"That's why I was hurt when I stabbed you," little Neji whispered.

_"You aren't who you think you are."_

"That's why the people you hurt haunt me," little Neji said, his voice growing stronger.

_"Your eyes can see through any illusion. You just need to remember how to use them. Remember the powers of your clan."_

"Show me," little Neji said fiercely to older Neji. "Your power! Show it to me!"

Older Neji laughed bitterly again. "You want to see the power you do not deserve to possess?"

"SHOW ME!"

Older Neji glared down at him, and right in front of little Neji's eyes, a transformation took place. The veins stood out around the older boy's eyes, and his pupils, though still white, became more apparent. But little Neji wasn't afraid. On the contrary, he was amazed, because now the world looked different to him. He and the older boy seemed to be nothing but faint husks. But there were other figures around. Figures with small rivers of blue light flowing through them. Figures that he couldn't see before. He realized that one was holding his hand, and that others hovered around him.

"I know now, what we are," little Neji said to the older boy.

"I know now, who we are," older Neji said to the younger boy.

When older Neji relaxed his eyes, everything went black around them. The estate was fading away into darkness. They were fading with it. But not far from them they saw a light. When they ran to it, they saw it was not a light, but a young man. A young man years older than older Neji. He appeared to be asleep, floating in this space of nothingness… lost peacefully in its blackness. He wore robes of white and had very long, dark hair. His face was so serene and innocent as he slept.

Little Neji took older Neji's hand in his, and before they faded away completely they reached out to the young man glowing in the darkness. And then, they spoke their last….

"Wake up, Neji. Wake up…."

* * *

No one saw the flutter of his eyelids when he woke up. Or rather, he felt that he had already been awake, but only now was he becoming conscious. He was sitting up now, his body stiff from lack of training. He was nearly lost in the veil of his own long hair, which covered his face as his head hung foreward. 

There was a gentle sensation tickling his scalp, and he felt a brush running through his hair. Jasmine perfume drifted to his nose. Tenten. He felt a gentle squeeze on his hand as someone held it. He looked to the side through the veil of his hair and saw a wise, kind face watching him with warm eyes. Gai. Someone's weight shifted on the other side of the bed as they leaned on it. He shifted his eyes to see the tense, determined expression that refused to ever lose hope. Lee. And over at the window, a proud figure looking out over the village he ruled with tranquility in his features. Gaara.

Gai sighed deeply and stood up, most likely to pace around the room and burn a hole through the floor. But when he stood, his hand was not released. Gai looked down just as Tenten pulled the veil of hair back from the hidden face and saw two shining white eyes staring up at him. Eyes with strength, depth, and caring recognition.

"…Neji?" Gai whispered, tightening his grip on Neji's hand.

The others in the room stopped, but didn't move. They were afraid of another false alarm… another chance to dash their hopes. And at first there was only silence, but then Gai was met with a warm smile.

"…Missed you guys," Neji whispered, feeling as though he had forgotten his own voice.

Before Gaara's eyes, the room shuddered with a thaw and filled with warmth. Gai, Tenten, and Lee were now rejoicing, their arms around Neji, laughing like a bunch of children at play. Gaara was almost afraid of the team's extreme enthusiasm, but when Neji motioned for him to come closer, he couldn't help but feel it also.

"Thank you," Neji said with a smile as he shook Gaara's hand. "For everything."

* * *

Someone was pounding on Naruto's door, and he opened it slowly, feeling his head reeling from his headache. He didn't want to see anyone right now. He was too busy reading through old laws and regulations of the Hyuuga clan that were available through older and more restricted sections of the police library. Sakura was too busy to study, so he would do it. 

"Whhuuuu…"

"Okay then," Shikamaru said with a raised eyebrow. "I'll take that as a hello of some sort."

Shikamaru stood there with Sai, and they both looked concerned.

"Whaisit…?" Naruto groaned.

"Sai was doing some research for us," Shikamaru said softly. "Wanna let us in?"

"What research?" Naruto said, moving aside for them to enter and closing the door.

"About Hyuuga Neji," Sai responded.

Naruto looked up, surprised. "You did that? You're trying to help?"

"I'm not sure how much help it will be," Sai said, brushing it off.

"Regardless of how much help it is, it will be a point of interest for you," Shikamaru said. "I'm not sure we should be telling you this. In fact, if Tsunade found out we know, we could all face some troublesome punishment for it."

"Will it save Neji's life?" Naruto asked.

"No," Sai said plainly. "But it does provide a motive for some people in the Hyuuga clan to take his life."

"Tell me," Naruto said as they all sat down at his table.

Shikamaru looked to Sai, looking incredibly uneasy. "Ummm, Naruto… it's like this…."

"If Neji continues living," Sai broke in, "there will always be the chance that he can change the Hyuuga clan to his liking."

"We already know he's an influence," Naruto said.

"He's more than that," Sai explained. "You didn't realize it, Naruto, but while Neji was in the hospital, there were times when it was guarded by an extremely high number of ANBU members."

"ANBU?" Naruto said, his eys wide. "Why? Did Tsunade want to make sure the Hyuugas didn't harm him?"

"It was, and is, imperative that no one harm him," Sai said. "Furthermore, he was never declared missing after his recent disappearance."

"What!" Naruto yelled.

"That is because he isn't missing," Sai said. "Tsunade knows where he is. She just isn't acknowledging it. He was most likely sent somewhere to be cured."

"That's good news," Naruto said, exhaling.

"You'd think so, but there is more," Shikamaru said, leaning back in the chair.

"At first I only found it odd that so many people's lives were changed by events surrounding one person," Sai went on. "And in noticing this, I also came to realize that it wasn't just his friends who were so concerned. Recovering Neji has become a top priority of ANBU. Even higher than recovering Sasuke, locating Orochimaru, or discovering the plans of the Akatsuki."

Naruto almost fell out of his chair. He stared at Sai and Shikamaru. "Your information must be wrong, Sai. I know you mean well, but--"

"Someone got hold of information about Neji that was so important and potentially dangerous to them that they thought it necessary to kill him."

"There is nothing about Neji that would give anyone reason to kill him!" Naruto said firmly.

"When I tell you what it is, Naruto," Sai said seriously, "even you might consider it."

Naruto fell silent for a while. "What the hell did you hear!"

"First things first," Shikamaru said. "The Hyuuga family tree in our records has been changed. There is evidence that Neji is not Hyuuga Hizashi's son. Meaning that he is not Hinata's cousin, and not close to the head family in relation whatsoever. This puts him even lower on the chain in the Hyuuga clan, and the elitists in the clan see it as one more reason to hate him, and one more reason why he should have no influence over his clan."

"Who are his parents?" Naruto asked. "What does this have to do with saving him?"

"The details of his parents are unclear at the moment," Shikamaru said. "The point is that many people in the clan already fear and hate him for being the most powerful person in the clan while he is still a lowly branch member from some unknown family."

"I still don't see this as any reason to kill him," Naruto said, looking annoyed.

"This just fuels motive," Shikamaru said. "If he were a head family member, the information Sai found wouldn't be a problem."

"You were right, Naruto," Sai said. "Neji most likely didn't try to kill himself. It's my belief now that somehow, someone made an attempt on his life and tried to make it look like suicide. When it didn't work, they tried to tarnish his reputation, making him seem unfit to carry out his duties as a ninja. But no matter what, the main objective is to get him out of the way for good."

"Enough already!" Naruto yelled, standing up. "What did you find out!"

Shikamaru suddenly looked nervous. "Okay, Naruto, this is troublesome, but you can't tell anyone, alright?"

"I swear if you two don't tell me what it is right now…."

Sai sat there and watched as Shikamaru stood and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. He gently told him what Sai had said. The information about Neji that made him so important and dangerous. Slowly, Naruto's agitation melted away and grew into a look of pain, confusion, and sadness. He slowly sat down, his body tense.

"So that's it…" he said softly.

And he was too ashamed to say that Sai was right. For a split second, he had thought of killing Neji himself.

---To Be Continued---


	5. Heavy

**Broken Helix: part V: Heavy**

The sunset in the sand village was beautiful. The buildings shimmered in the light, which ran from bright yellow to burning orange to deep red. Lee and Neji stood on top of one of the highest buildings, leaning on the rail at the edge as they admired the view.

Lee, his lower back against the railing, turned his head and looked at his friend. Neji was looking over the side of the building, his hands curled tightly around the bar at his waist. Only a short time had passed since he became himself again, but the life in him now made it all seem so long ago. His long hair blew freely in the breeze, and his white eyes were so expressive on his calm face.

Neji had said he needed some air, and Lee didn't blame him. The obvious question as to why their team was in the sand village came up not long ago. With heavy hearts, Lee, Tenten, and Gai had to explain that Neji had been sentenced to die by his own clan. No details were given just yet. Neji didn't want to hear them yet. He was still recovering from the life he had led when he was not himself. It was all too much to handle so quickly.

"Why…?" Neji suddenly asked, his eyes looking out over the swirling sand.

Lee swallowed. He didn't want to answer. Though Neji's face was calm, Lee had known him long enough to read the signals that were barely there. Neji's heart was breaking before his eyes, though he was confident that no one else would be able to see it but him.

"They say your breakdown makes you too unstable with the power you possess," Lee responded.

"I didn't have a breakdown," Neji said softly. "I don't know what happened to me…."

"There is more," Lee said, staring at the ground. "Rape, assault, and plotting to kill a head family member."

Lee feltas thoughhe had stabbed Neji through the heart with every charge he named. Neji stood still, pale, and seemingly stoic. But once again there was that look in his eyes. One that Lee could easily read.

"Who accused me?" Neji asked calmly.

Lee sighed deeply and pulled a stack of copied notes from his vest pocket. He handed them to Neji and waited. Neji read through the copies of the suicide notes, Hiashi's sentence for him, and what was supposed to be his own journal entry.

"Hotaru and Haru…" he said softly, looking up at Lee with questioning eyes.

"…They hanged themselves," Lee said sadly.

"No…" Neji said, looking down at the papers in his hands. "They were always so happy and kind…."

"They were already dead when Kiba found them."

"And Lord Hiashi, he believes I did these things?" Neji asked.

"Lord Hiashi is in a coma," Lee said. "We never got a statement from him about all of this, but all of these letters have perfect matches for handwriting. Even your own."

"So the ones in charge now," Neji said, shutting his eyes in frustration, "are the ones who hate me the most."

"Neji, none of us believed for a second that you did these things. We suspected that people from your clan were trying to kill you, so we started to guard you, and eventually Tsunade allowed Gai-sensei to bring you here in secret, disguising his trip away as a mission."

"You must thank everyone for me if I don't get the chance," Neji said softly.

"Do not say things like that to me," Lee said, clenching his fists.

"Forgive me," Neji said softly. "I haven't given up Lee."

Lee nodded and relaxed a bit. Neji went on staring at the papers in front of him, focusing on the one in his handwriting. He read over it again and again.

"How is Hinata?" Neji asked finally.

"Not well," Lee said. "The clan has been weighing on her heart heavily. The clan has been split with your sentence. The vast majority want you to live, but many of the people holding power in the clan want you to die. I was there with Sakura when a fight broke out in your hospital room because there was a disagreement concerning your punishment. Hinata put an end to it then, and has been ever since then. Your clan is falling apart with Hiashi in his coma and your sentence. Hinata is trying her hardest to keep things in one piece."

Neji nodded solemnly and continued to read over the paper.

"She doesn't believe any of this," Lee assured him. "She stood up for you repeatedly. She knows that entry is fake."

"…Does she?" Neji responded, not meeting Lee's eyes.

"Of course," Lee said. "We all know you well enough to know what kind of person you are. And now that we have you awake you can help us prove that there is foul play here. You have to try to remember what happened."

Neji slowly crushed the paper in his hands.

"Think of who else has the ability to get a good sample of your writing to copy it," Lee said.

"That won't be necessary," Neji said, a strange smile crossing his face.

"It won't?" Lee blinked.

Neji shook his head and looked at Lee seriously as he stepped closer. "There is something I must tell you…."

* * *

"I would gladly allow him to stay here," Gaara said.

"We can't drag you into this," Gai responded. "You've already done so much."

"It is nothing," Gaara said. "Harboring criminals from other villages leads to war, but Neji is not a criminal."

"Maybe we should think about leaving him here, Gai-sensei," Tenten said. "It wouldn't be forever. Just long enough to straighten things out."

"As much as I want to," Gai responded, "it would just be prolonging things. Kakashi and I have analyzed this from all angles. We just can't find a way to prove Neji's innocence."

Just then, Lee and Neji walked in. Lee trailed behind Neji, looking more hurt and depressed than he did before he left. Neji, however, looked perfectly calm. There was only a hint of sadness in his white eyes, but he still looked perfectly tranquil.

"Neji," Tenten said. "We were talking about you staying here. Would you do it if you could?"

Neji shook his head slowly. "I can't do that," he said calmly. "I need to clear my name, and I can't run away from all of this. And Konoha is my home. No matter how many people hate me there, I can't just leave it. Not like this."

"I knew you'd say that," Gai sighed. "That's my strong-willed student."

"You are always welcome here," Gaara said. "Just remember that, and I will be at ease."

"Thank you," Neji smiled softly.

"You must all stay a while longer," Gaara said. "I'll be creating sand storms around the village."

"Is something wrong?" Tenten asked.

"Sound ninja have been spotted in the area," Gaara said. "I must be cautious for the sake of my people."

* * *

The corridors were dark and musty, and yet he felt more at home here than he had traveling outside. He hoped that no one would bother him today. He actually had other things on his mind besides training. The cold air felt good against his chest, which was the only part of him not covered with heavy fabric. He sighed deeply and removed the sword from his waist. It hadn't tasted blood in a long time and looked eerily harmless.

"Taking a little vacation?" a snake-like voice said behind him.

"Gathering information," he responded as he stopped in his tracks. He didn't turn around.

"Don't tell me you've taken an interest to the events in Konoha right now," the snake voice said in amusement.

"Alright," he said. "I won't tell you."

"An entire clan falling apart because of one person," the hoarse voice chuckled. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

"This isn't the same at all. My clan was slaughtered. What do I care if the Hyuugas are so fragile that they'll fall just because of something like this?"

"So," the eerie voice chuckled again. "You have been doing your research. So then I suppose you know who is to be executed."

"I don't give a damn."

"It's a pity that such a fine ninja will die for something like this. Neji did show a lot of potential years ago. You wanted to fight him, didn't you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke was silent. He stood in the dark shadows like a stone statue.

"You did know it was Hyuuga Neji that was being executed, didn't you?" the voice continued to echo through the corridor. "After all, you left your precious training to do this 'research.'"

Sasuke started to walk down the hall again. "We resume my training tomorrow. I care nothing for Konoha or anyone in it. Especially not that asshole."

Orochimaru watched him go with a smirk on his snake-like face. "Whether that is true or not, Sasuke," he said under his breath, "you were drawn to the fall of his clan because you are obsessed with what happened to your own."

* * *

Sakura walked over to Naruto, who stood on the small bridge over the lake. For the past week he had looked very agitated.

"Naruto," she smiled. "What's wrong? Is all of your studying hurting your head?"

He looked at her for a moment, his bright blue eyes looking thoughtful. "I'm upset with someone I care about," he said.

"Me?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I can't tell you who. But it's killing me inside."

"Well, what did this person do?" she asked, nudging him in the ribs playfully.

"This person…" he hesitated. "This person… doesn't know I'm upset with him or her yet. And I don't know how to tell her or him that I'm upset."

"How badly has he or she hurt you?" she asked.

"Very…" he said sadly. "More than I can express to you or anyone. And I'm also ashamed, because I thought of horrible things happening to this person, even though I care so much. That's how hurt I was."

"Are you sure you still care about this person?" Sakura asked.

"Of course," Naruto said. "It's one of my friends. I care just as much as ever, which makes me even more upset that all of this is happening. I feel let down…. I didn't know I could feel this let down…. Not even when Sasuke left…."

"You need to talk to this person," Sakura smiled, trying to get the subject away from Sasuke. "Or just sit with him or her. Watch how this person looks at you. Just paying attention to reactions to you will tell you a lot about the other person's feelings. And if you're in the room with the intention to get closure, you'll realize how you feel also."

Naruto blinked and stared at the water for a moment. "You're right," he grinned. "I just have to see this person. Then I'll know what to do."

"Knowing you, Naruto," Sakura smiled, "it's probably nothing to worry about. I'm sure you and this person will continue to be friends. There is no issue you can't resolve."

She didn't see Naruto's smile fade a bit at her final words on the subject. He didn't know if he wanted to see a resolution to this problem. It would send everything crashing down.

* * *

With every passing day, she felt as though a part of her was dying. Hinata even felt as though she could just let the clan dissolve. She wanted to let it all dissolve into nothingness, allowing her a kind of freedom she couldn't dream of. But there were so many people to care for… so many people who didn't deserve to have their lives shaken that way.

She had soaked in the bath for a long time, wanting to feel clean and whole again. She used the herbs Neji used to meditate with, and now his scent blanketed her body. She slipped into his bed and tried to quiet her mind. She wore thin white cotton shorts and a white tank top, allowing most of her body to feel the softness of the bed. If only she could stay like this forever.

She felt weak and light-headed. She hadn't been eating properly. It was so hard for her to take food into her body after taking in the foul substance that was her uncle's. It was nearly impossible to keep things down, as she was so used to vomiting after seeing him.

The bath had left her blessedly relaxed. At least for now she couldn't feel the pain or the bruises her uncle inflicted on her when he saw her. He was more harsh with her with every meeting, because she only confirmed again and again how far she would go for Neji. He tried to claim more and more of her body each time, placing his hands and mouth roughly against her body in areas that made her feel ashamed and disgusting.

She slipped into a nightmare, and had a horrible dream of her younger sister Hanabi arriving home from her long training mission and finding her with her head in their uncle's lap. Or watching as their uncle made Hinata strip and bend over in embarrassing positions while he touched her roughly between her thighs. And then she had a nightmare that seemed all too real, where her uncle took the key to Neji's apartment from her pocket the last time he practically tore her clothes from her body. He then entered the apartment while she was sleeping and started to undress her to make her his plaything.

She awoke in tears, lying her on her stomach, her face buried against the pillow. And to her horror, she realized that someone's weight was on the bed next to her. Her heart leapt in fear as she felt a hand moving her tank top higher and higher up her back, touching the bruises there. The blankets slid off of her body slowly, and she knew she would have to suffer again soon. But she wouldn't struggle. She would give him what he wanted for Neji's sake. She would offer him more and more of herself to keep Neji alive until he could escape forever. She would let him abuse her forever if she knew that Neji could be safe somewhere.

She slowly rolled onto her back to meet what was coming. She looked up in the dark with tears in her eyes, her tank top barely covering her large breasts because of the way he brought the fabric up on her back. The bright moonlight from the window highlighted her body.

She shut her eyes as he reached for her, and already wanted the moment to end. Her body was already sore and weak, but she would endure this.

And then his hand cupped her cheek, gently wiping her tears away with his thumb. She felt the soft blankets being pulled over her body to cover her and stop her shivering. She opened her eyes slowly when the weight lifted from the bed.

Her heart raced. She saw the flicker of candles being lit in the room and she sat up. He heard her movement and looked up at her as he set the second candle down, his face illuminated in warm light. Hinata tore the covers from her body and flew from the bed, throwing her arms around him, her sadness turning into overflowing joy.

"Cousin Neji…" she said, sobbing. "Cousin Neji… where have you been?"

He wrapped his arms around her gently and held her. "I'm sorry for making you worry," he said, his voice warm and sweet and music to her ears.

Her arms were still wrapped tightly around his neck when he picked her up and walked back over to the bed. She released him when he rested her down gently.

"I'll sleep on the floor!" she insisted.

"You will sleep on the bed," he said gently. "And you will tell me why you're hurt, Lady Hinata."

"You will stop calling me 'Lady' Hinata," she pouted.

"You will not change the subject," he smiled slyly.

She sat up again, and averted her eyes. "Just… the clan… and… people were fighting… so… I got caught in the middle."

She felt his eyes on her, and she knew that he could see that she wasn't telling the entire truth.

"Just tell me who hurt you," he whispered.

"Not tonight…" she said softly. "P… please… you just got home."

Seeing her pain and conflict, he decided to leave the subject until morning. Whoever hurt her was safe for a little while longer.

"Oh no…" she said softly. "Do they know you're back?"

"The people on patrol saw me enter the village with Gai, but they welcomed me back," he said. He then took a deep breath. "I'm going to your father's home tomorrow."

"No," she gasped. "No, please… you must run away. They won't listen to reason. I don't know what to do! And father is in a coma! They talk about you horribly and won't listen to me! Please leave the village again until this is settled!"

"In order to settle this, I must be here," he said gently.

"They'll torture you!" she cried.

"I don't fear them," he said.

"They'll kill you!"

"I don't fear death."

She clutched the fabric at her heart. She looked entirely hurt and exhausted.

"You look tired," he said with a kind smile. "You should sleep."

"I can't," she said sadly. "I can't help thinking that no matter how much I want to save you, you might not--"

She couldn't finish her sentence. But he knew what she wanted to say. He might not be alive much longer. It was bringing about a new boldness in her. There was so much she wanted to say to him. Neji nodded and smiled at her. He motioned for her to scoot over and she did. He sat next to her on the large bed. Hinata realized that she had slept like a rock, because he had already come in, bathed, and dressed in a white T-shirt and cotton pants for bed.

"We'll talk then," he said.

But her eyes were now focused on his forehead. The green seal that marked his enslavement to the clan was carved into him there. The same seal that would be used to end his life. She gently touched it with her fingertips. She wanted to take it from him so badly. When she drew her hand away she realized he had been watching her, and she blushed slightly. But he was smiling at her.

"How can you smile?" she asked softly.

"Because you didn't believe them," he said. "Because you trust me. Because those I care about stood by me."

"Of course!" she said. "I could never believe any of that. But… but why did you hurt yourself that day?"

"It's a long story," he said. "But I did not try to kill myself. I don't remember how it happened, but I was caught in my own mind. I was both myself as a confused child, and myself when I was a bitter person years ago. I was caught at the Hyuuga main estate, and while I could remember nothing of my life as it is now, I knew there was more beyond the gate. But my hatred of myself and the belief that the things I did were unforgivable kept me there. The people I hurt in the past haunted me. You were there, but you had died from what I did to you years ago. It was my own personal hell."

"We all forgive you," she said. "Or we don't blame you at all." She looked very sad and worried.

"I don't think I've forgiven myself," he said. "But I heard all of you speaking to me, and that gave me hope. At least, I thought I heard you. I don't know if it was real."

"I came all the time," she smiled timidly. "It was real."

He smiled at her again, but it faded when he saw a bruise on her neck. She started to blush as his eyes ran down her shoulders to her bruised arms, then back up again.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

She shook her head and averted her eyes again.

"Did you come here to escape?" he asked.

She nodded. She couldn't find a way to express to him that his scent and the very space that he called his own made her feel protected and loved. His hand gently slipped some of her long hair behind her ear as he examined the bruises that looked like finger marks. His eyes narrowed slightly, and she knew that he would no longer let the topic go after seeing those bruises. He was so concerned for her...

"I…" she began, gently grabbing his wrist. "I… I…"

He looked into her eyes. His gaze was deep and intense, the candlelight illuminating them so they looked like sunsets. He had been leaning close to look at the bruises and she could feel his breath on her skin. She was thankful that the light was dim, because she knew she had turned scarlet from head to toe. And his eyes were penetrating her. She knew she couldn't lie to him.

"I'm in love with you!" she blurted out.

Neji couldn't hide the flicker of surprise that appeared in his eyes. To Hinata's amazement, a blush started to creep onto his pale features.

"I know you don't feel the same way," she said, her voice quivering. "I know you think of me as just a cousin. But I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't tell you."

"Hinata," he said softly. "I had no idea…." His pulse beat gently against her fingers, which were still wrapped around his wrist. "I… I'm sorry… that I can't return your feelings," he said very softly. "But I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for honoring me this way."

Hinata nodded slightly, her fingers slipping away from his wrist slowly as she tried to hold back her tears.

Suddenly there was a loud knock on his front door.

"Neji!" cried a feminine voice. "Open up!"

Recognizing Tenten's voice, he got up from the bed and left the room. Hinata could hear the front door opening.

"They are coming for you!" Hinata heard Tenten say. "I saw them far down the road. Some of them must have been up late and they saw me returning home. They must have figured out that we had you with us!"

"Thank you, Tenten," Neji said. "Quickly, return home now. Take a different path. Don't let them see that you came to see me or they'll find a reason to investigate you."

"But, what will happen to you!" she said frantically.

"Nothing I can't handle," he said. "Now go."

Hinata could practically feel Tenten's hesitation from the other room, but finally the door closed. Neji moved down the hall and into the bathroom for a moment, and he returned to the bedroom fully dressed in his cream-colored Jounin attire.

"You'd think it could wait until tomorrow," he said, his mask of stoic calm falling over his face. "I'm going to go meet them."

"No…" Hinata said in a panicked voice as she slid off the bed. "Wait… there must be some other way…."

"I must go," he said, turning away.

But then they felt the intense waves of chakra erupting around them. Chakra, and killing intent. The clan members had surrounded the building and were using Byakugan to look inside. Hinata was afraid. She wanted to run to Neji and cling to him. She wanted to protect him. But she knew that holding him would make matters worse. It was bad enough that she was in the bedroom of the one they thought was going to make her a victim.

The door, unlocked from when Tenten had been there moments ago, few open, and several footsteps entered. Neji walked into the front room, his head held high. Hinata stood frozen in the bedroom. Suddenly a group of men ran in to find her.

"Lady Hinata!" one of them said as they took her gently by the arms and started to escort her out. "Are you alright?"

"That monster," another said, looking at the bruises that marked her body. "You're safe from him now, Lady Hinata. We'll make him pay."

"N… no!" she cried out. "He didn't--"

"Look what he's done to you," said a deep, cold voice.

Her uncle stood there, his eyes burning into her with warning. He walked to Neji, who was restrained already. His hands were bound behind his back, and several men had weapons pointed at him. But he stood there calmly.

She watched as her hated uncle stepped in front of Neji and stared into his eyes.

"You wretched waste of flesh," he said harshly to Neji. "Defiling Hinata and our clan with your wickedness."

Neji said nothing. He only stared back without malice.

"For all of your crimes, your eyes, hands, and other parts of your body that you would surely miss were to be removed from you by me. However, due to certain intervention, this will unfortunately not be the case. I hope, for your sake, that the one who intervened remains on your side."

He then looked to Hinata with his cold eyes, though he was still speaking to Neji. "Hinata, who you have clearly hurt in so many ways, might protest to this, however. Tell us, Hinata, were all of these marks inflicted by him?"

Hinata's voice caught in her throat. Neji didn't look at her, but she still felt as though his gaze was upon her. She wanted to deny that he hurt her, but if she did she would be forced to name the one who did or the clan would comb the village until a guilty party was found. Her uncle would turn on her and Neji would be tortured… his eyes and hands cut from him as soon as he left this place, leaving no time to rescue him. But if she didn't deny it, she would most certainly be marking him as guilty.

"Hinata," please respond. "I know it is hard for you, but you must tell us what he did to you."

She felt very sick with her uncle staring at her, and her fear grew as he turned to face Neji again with hatred in his eyes. He was reaching for a weapon….

"He did it," Hinata whispered, her heart shattering. "All of it…."

A cold smirk appeared on her uncle's face. "Take him away and lock him up, but do not harm him," he said.

And Neji was pulled from his home. He didn't meet Hinata's eyes.

---To Be Continued---


	6. Torture

**Broken Helix: part VI: Torture**

"So," Tsunade sighed deeply as she sat back in her chair. "They have him."

"Yes," Gai nodded. "He came back of his own free will. Neji was never one to run away."

"How long does he have?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," Gai said, trying to remain calm. "They won't let anyone see him. For some reason they say they have new information that allows them to skip his trail completely."

"I see," Tsunade sighed again.

"I should be going now," Gai said. "Things to do…."

He turned and walked to the door.

"Gai," Tsuande said.

He stopped and turned to her silently.

"I'm sorry," she said, her eyes sad. "I'm so sorry. I know he's innocent. I know you taught him with all of the values you hold to yourself. And yet I can't do anything."

Gai turned away again. "The Hokage must be fair and just at all times," he said. "Favoritism can play no part in being just. Justice must deal with facts, not feelings. And for Neji, we can't prove anything."

Gai opened the door and left, not wanting to talk about it anymore. He still felt like he failed. He not only failed Neji but those who cared about him.

* * *

The Hyuuga clan was so vast and old that they had many things most other clans in the village did not. For example, they had their own small prison for people of their own clan. It was in the forest, in an area few people tread. It was cold, dark, severe, and eerie, even to the strongest of hearts.

Neji sat on the freezing cold, hard floor of his cell, meditating. For two days now he had been in this place without food or water, and there were no windows that allowed him to see the sunlight. A thick, heavy metal collar was around his neck, and it was chained to the wall. Some of his blood had been drained from him, his chakra weakened with wards and medicines. He knew they would keep him in here to suffer. To break his spirit before they killed him. But he was not so easily broken.

Light flooded the corridor as a door opened at the end, and he heard footsteps approaching. As his eyes were adjusting to the light he heard a voice on the other side of the cell bars. A cold, unfeeling, eerie voice.

"Enjoying your stay?" the older Hyuuga asked coldly.

Neji said nothing. He heard a key unlocking the cell door and looked up to the evil man in front of him. Neji could sense it. His darkness, evil, and disgusting heart. He never did like having to call this man "uncle."

"That collar suits you."

Again, Neji said nothing. He sat there calmly.

"How many times did you take Hinata?" his uncle continued. "How many times did you think you were worthy of that right?"

Neji shut his eyes and appeared to be meditating again.

"Did you like the taste of her?" his uncle smirked. "Did you like tainting her with your filthy hands?"

Neji's sat there in tranquil silence, and it started to infuriate the older man. Even though Neji's clothes were smeared with dirt, his long hair tangled, and his features pale from the lack of what his body needed, he was still strong and radiant, much to the disappointment of his uncle.

"Tell me, to clear your own conscious," his uncle asked, still trying to look calm. "How many times did you bed Hinata?" He felt the green of envy spreading through his body.

Neji opened his eyes and looked up. His uncle's hatred doubled when he saw no trace of anger or malice in those eyes.

"I never touched or harmed Hinata," Neji said calmly. He then closed his eyes as if meditating again.

"Lies!" the older man roared. "I know you two fornicated behind closed doors. You will tell me the truth!"

Once again, Neji gave nothing but his silence.

"How many times did you touch her soft skin?" his uncle said with a dark smirk. "How many times did you hear that whimper she tends to make with you fondle her too hard? Or the way she chokes when your cock reaches too far down her throat?"

Neji's eyes started to open slowly.

"She tends to bruise easily, doesn't she?" the older man smirked as he held up his hands. "You can see the marks of your own fingers on her skin. It is unsightly. But she makes up for it when you see the view of her head bobbing up and down on your lap."

Neji's fists clenched until his nails dug into his palms.

"We take for granted how flexible female ninja become," his uncle continued darkly. "The positions Hinata can bend and stretch into, all for a man's viewing pleasure, are a sight to behold."

Neji's rose slowly until he was standing, his head lowered so that his uncle couldn't see his eyes in the dark cell. His uncle stood just out of reach.

"Tell me, Neji," the man said. "Why did you think you were allowed to keep your hands and eyes and that filthy appendage in your pants? Do you really expect me to believe that Hinata would offer her body to spare you the torture if there was not something more than friendship between you?"

Neji kept his head down, he was breathing more heavily.

"I could just have you killed now, but then who would pleasure me every night? I'm going to get as much use out of her as I can. So far she has only taken me into her mouth, but there are other areas to explore, aren't there? As long as you're alive, I can take her anytime I want. One more reason for you to meet death willingly for her. Don't bother trying to tell anyone. No one would believe you, especially with all of the evidence stacked against you. Now, if you'll excuse me, she should be in my study about now, waiting spread-eagled on my desk as I've asked."

Suddenly Neji's eyes snapped up and met his, and he felt himself shaken, because there, on that normally tranquil face, were eyes burning with rage so intense that the hottest flames paled in comparison. The older man stepped back out of harm's way, then attempted to compose himself, trying to laugh it off. But then, Neji took the chain that connected to his collar, and broke it effortlessly as though it were made of fragile glass.

"Guards!" the older Hyuuga yelled as Neji slammed him hard against the bars of the cell. Even with his body so weakened by the abuse in this cell, Neji still persisted. Although the older Hyuuga was trained in the same fighting style, he was soon to find that his speed was far below Neji's, and in the seconds it took for the guards to reach the cell, he had been hit dozens of times. Fortunately for him, Neji didn't have the chakra left to damage his internal organs too heavily. Unfortunately for him, Neji's attacks were still inhumanly powerful. The young man was fueled by pure rage now.

Four guards dove onto Neji and tried to pull him back, but he easily flung them off and charged at his uncle again. And now Neji spoke, his voice no longer gentle or calm or patient.

"IF YOU INSIST ON TAKING MY LIFE, I WILL INSIST ON GIVING YOU A REASON!"

His uncle suddenly positioned himself to activate Neji's curse seal, but Neji grabbed his wrist, and easily broke it, a sickening snap heard throughout the cell before Neji was tackled to the ground. It took ten men to restrain him, and they were still being exhausted by his efforts to rise again.

"Please wait to activate the seal in a proper execution so that everyone may see," one of the guards said angrily while he tried to hold Neji down.

The older Hyuuga stood with help from people who didn't want to get too close to the struggling captive, and escorted him from the prison.

"Couldn't wait to get another crime under your belt, could you?" one of the guards snarled.

A needle was stabbed into Neji's leg, and five times the dosage necessary was emptied into him before he finally lay still.

* * *

When his eyes opened again, he didn't know how much time had passed. The cell was always dark and cold. He was lying on his stomach, and once again there was a cold metal collar around his neck, but he knew he couldn't summon the strength to break it again. His robes were tattered and torn, and he could taste blood. His body felt like a cold weight against the hard prison floor. His insides were screaming for nourishment, and his entire body felt dry from his lack of water. He tried in vain to push himself into a sitting position, but with the poison flowing through his body now, he could hardly tell which way was up.

Once more, the corridor flooded with light from the prison entrance being opened at the end. Once more he heard footsteps, though this time the echo hurt his ears. A key unlocked the door and someone stepped inside. But his eyes refused to focus or adjust. With all of his strength, he pushed up from the floor and managed to seat himself, sitting back against the wall for support.

His uncle was there now, glaring down at him, his arm bandaged but mostly mended with powerful healing techniques. He had bruises from Neji's attack.

Neji's face was cold and stoic, mostly because he didn't have the energy to build rage. But he felt his heart drop into deep sorrow when his uncle pulled from behind him a very frightened looking Hinata. He pushed her back against a wall, back where Neji couldn't reach him, and kissed her roughly. And Hinata didn't struggle. She knew her uncle had a blade in his robes, ready to torture Neji if she started to resist him.

She flinched when Neji rose and tried to get to them. But he nearly fell to the ground, his balance completely off. His vision was blurry and his body begging him to stop struggling. But he didn't stop. He tried to break the chain that bound him and started to grow more and more frustrated at his lack of strength.

Hinata felt her uncle's tongue reaching far into her mouth and she felt disgusted. His hands roughly grabbed at her breasts and she whimpered softly into his mouth.

"Stop…" Neji said, his voice nearly failing him. He could hardly manage that one word.

"We're going to put a little show on for your dear cousin," Hinata heard her molester whisper into her ear. His hand slid between her legs, and Neji watched helplessly as she started to wince in pain. Again and again he ignored his excruciating pain and fatigue and tried to break free.

"Get on your hands and knees" Hinata's uncle told her.

She obeyed slowly, half wishing that Neji would pass out from his pain so that he wouldn't have to watch or hear what was going to happen to her. She couldn't bare having him see her like this, but she needed to buy him whatever time she could. She knew that one of her friends, someone… anyone… would find a way to save him.

"Look away," she said softly, when she saw Neji's eyes begging her to stop. Begging her to fight back. "Don't look at me…."

Her uncle reached for her and slowly started to pull her pants over her backside when Neji spoke up, forcing his voice through his throat.

"Take them," he said, his voice hoarse. "My hands, my eyes, anything. Take them and leave her alone…."

Hinata looked up to see Neji on his knees, his head bowed. Her uncle moved away from her and stared down at Neji with dark satisfaction.

"Hinata," the cold voice said. "Remain my slave and I will allow him to remain imprisoned for most of his life. He will be given a cell with food, water, and sunlight, but he will remain in this place for years and years. Or, refuse and he will die as planned."

"I'll do it," Hinata said before Neji could get a word out.

"And if you ever refuse me, he dies horribly," he continued.

"I won't refuse," Hinata said, holding back her tears.

"Speak your last to him," her uncle laughed darkly. "You will never see him again."

And her uncle left, knowing that allowing them this time would increase their suffering. Knowing that Neji might later condemn Hinata for letting him live like that. Knowing that Hinata might start to hate Neji for living. He had an evil smirk on his face when he left the prison, telling the guards that Hinata had five minutes to see her cousin.

Inside the cell, Hinata threw her arms around Neji and held him tightly. "Don't hate me," she cried against his shoulder. "B… but we just need time. We need more time. We'll save you! I know it!"

Neji sat there silently, his head resting on her shoulder.

"Cousin Neji, please," Hinata wept. "I only accused you because he was going to torture you if I didn't!"

"I'm not your cousin," he said softly. "Don't call me that anymore."

Hinata said nothing more, her heart breaking. He hated her now. He refused her love, and now even their friendship. She slowly pulled away from him and looked down at the cell floor between them.

"Let me die, Hinata," Neji said.

"No!" she cried.

She looked up to see his face, but was shocked into silence at what she saw there. He looked at her, his face calm except for his eyes, which held utter grief. A lone tear slowly made its way down the side of his face.

"I'm not worth this," he said. "Even if they find a way to get me out next week, the week you suffered will not have been worth it. A fraction of a second wouldn't be worth it. I can't sit here knowing that he's hurting you."

"Neji--"

"Go tell someone right now," Neji said. "Tell someone what he's doing to you. It's over for me. I don't matter anymore."

"You matter to me!" she cried.

"Then let me die!" he said. "Let my spirit rest. That is something it can't do while I'm alive and you're in pain."

She started to cry, and his heart broke even more.

"Hinata," he said gently. "Let me make this choice for myself. I wish to die. I want you to live on for me, and I will continue to watch over you in death. You will find happiness, and that will make me happy."

Suddenly guards rushed down the corridor and came into the cell. "Time is up," they said as they started to pull Hinata away.

"No," she cried. "Wait!"

"We're sorry, Lady Hinata," one of them said. "But he's out of time."

"Goodbye, Hinata," Neji said. He was smiling gently at her.

Hinata fainted in the arms of the guards, and then she was taken away. Once again the cell was dark.

* * *

Kakashi stood facing Neji's friends on the riverbank. He looked down sadly, as if forming his words, then returned his eyes to them.

"Neji's execution is tomorrow," he said. "Neji has named me as his witness."

He saw Gai, Tenten, and Lee look up in shock, and he explained, "You were closest to him, and he didn't want you to see him that way."

Everyone was looking down now. Sadness. Anger. Tears.

"Can we see him?" Chouji asked.

"No," Kakashi said sadly. "I thought something like this might happen, which is why we had you say goodbye to him already. I haven't seen him either. I was summoned by the Hyuuga clan just recently. They won't even tell me where the execution spot is. They will escort me, blindfolded, tomorrow."

"They can't do this!" Naruto yelled. "They won't even let us see him! I don't accept this! They can't do it!"

"Naruto…" Kakashi began.

"I agree with Naruto," Sai said. "Naruto fights to bring back Sasuke, who is not innocent. Why is it so wrong to fight for Neji, who is?"

"Neji is bound by the rules of his clan," Gai said. "And he is also bound by the rules of this village. Tsuande can't intervene because there is no evidence to support Neji's innocence."

"If we ran the village according to our feelings and not our laws and logic, there would be chaos," Kakashi said. "Remember that." He turned away from them. "Dismissed. You have missions to do."

Slowly, sadly, they left… but only to talk about things elsewhere. Gai, however, stayed until they were gone. He walked over to Kakashi and stood with him.

"Don't you hate having to tell them things you aren't sure you believe yourself?" Kakashi asked sadly.

* * *

No one could sleep that night. All thoughts were on Neji. Even those who weren't that close to him couldn't get over the injustice of it all. He had worked so hard to better himself after the mistakes of his past, and yet he would die at such a young age in such a horrible way.

Shikamaru, Chouji, and Kiba all had the same mission in mind as each of them stared at their ceilings. The mission where they went to retrieve Sasuke. Neji had been the final addition to the team, and while they were all able to breathe easier because of his talent, they also felt uneasy. The mission happened recently after Neji nearly took Hinata's life, and he had always been so cold and hateful. None of them knew what to expect from him. But they were soon to find that he had already become a different person. He wasn't cold anymore, but rather… serene, yet determined. Silent, yet strong. And above all, self-sacrificing. That was the first time Neji had faced an opponent truly stronger than himself… and he almost lost his life protecting those he cared about.

Tenten and Leewere eachcrying against their pillows. Their teammate would be dying tomorrow. Murdered by his own clan. They each loved him like a brother. At first, he didn't seem to like them. He seemed to hate being part of a team and often sat away from them, looking into the distance. He was arrogant and mocking and pessimistic. But over the years, he grew to love them. He went through many events that changed him. He also allowed them to take a strong hold in his life. He became humble, gentle, and even more reliable than he already was. The strongest of them all, he would forever be theirs. Their friend, their brother, their beloved teammate.

Kakashi, Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai sat on the edge of their beds, thinking of the loss of one who had so recently join their ranks as an elite ninja. The first of his peers to reach the honored level of Jounin, he was hard-working, passionate, and caring. But obviously, none of them suffered as much as Gai. Gai had known Neji since he was twelve years old and just out of the academy. Over the years he grew to love all of his students, and vowed to always protect and guide them. And now… he had already lost one. Not to fighting or war or destruction… but to something much more pointless.

Naruto buried his face into his pillow. He felt lost and confused. When he first met Neji, they hated each other. Neji thought Naruto was nothing but a loser… a dropout. And then Neji lost a battle to Naruto, not because Naruto was stronger, but because Neji was too overconfident in his own abilities, underestimating what Naruto could do. But instead of hating Naruto even more, Neji started to respect him. With him, a friendship grew between them. And Neji paid Naruto the highest compliment that he could ever pay anyone. "You have better eyes than me," he said. Neji had said it just before he almost lost his life while Naruto ran to catch up to Sasuke. Neji was one of Naruto's most trusted friends. But now… confusion. The news Shikamaru and Sai had brought…. Naruto was lost. But looking back over it all, he knew he couldn't let Neji die.

If they could all hear each other's thoughts… if they all knew what one person could mean to all of them at once… each of them might have guessed that they weren't the only ones shedding tears.

* * *

It was three hours before sunrise. Three hours before the sun would rise, signaling the rise of many, and the fall of one. The air was cold, and it looked as though rain might fall. The clouds were grey and a mist was hanging in the air. There were many who hadn't slept at all. Many who felt anguish and loss at the coming of the sun. But there were also many who remained oblivious to the feelings of death and sadness the dark clouds brought with them. There were some who were blissfully unaware and in the dark. But for how long?

Neji was escorted out of his cell, ready to feel the rain for the last time.

---To Be Continued---


	7. Death

**Broken Helix: part VII: Death**

Kakashi sat in a large, open clearing in the forest that was blocked off by the Hyuuga clan. He sat in the back so he wouldn't draw too much attention to himself. The sun hadn't come up yet, but the crowd was very, very large. The Hyuuga clan had more people than he could have dreamed of. Of course, only a fraction could be here for the execution. White eyes and long hair surrounded him. There were also many who had not inherited Byakugan and those who had married into the family. Judging bymost of thefaces here, the vast majority was against the execution. There were people arguing and people shouting and people crying. Kakashi could easily see things escalating into a riot.

The sky was still very dark, and rain clouds appeared to be moving in. It was going to be a gloomy day. The early morning fog was thick. But the stillness was being broken by the high emotions of the clan, and Kakashi was sad that Neji couldn't experience the stillness of the morning.

And then, through the thick fog, figures could be seen approaching. Kakashi focused on the coming shadows, and when they broke through the fog and into the clearing he saw the guards, clad in black… at least fifteen of them. And in their center, Neji. He looked exhausted and malnourished. His skin and hair were dirty, his clothing torn. There were bruises around his neck, andit looked like it was taking all of his strength to stay upright. The green seal on his forehead seemed to stand out more than ever in the gloom. It was painful to see him this way, and Kakashi understood why Neji didn't want Gai to be his witness. Kakashi new the loss of a pupil more strongly than Gai, and could handle the sight better.

There were murmurs running through the crowd now. People trying to get Neji's attention to show their sympathy or show their hatred. And it was then that Neji looked out over the crowd and found Kakashi. Recognition appeared in his eyes and despite his condition, he smiled, gratefully and warmly. Kakashi nodded in response, and then Neji's attention turned to the large pillar in the middle of the grove that he was being chained to. He was pushed back against it roughly, his wrists cuffed behind him, a chain wrapped around his neck, and his ankles chained to the ground.

"Final words?" one of the guards asked loudly.

"I am innocent of these crimes and thank those who supported me," Neji said. His eyes met Kakashi's. "All of them, for everything." He turned to the crowd. "Live to better yourself as individuals and live for a clan that knows true freedom."

He was still serene, still warm in his words.

Now they only had to wait for the sun to rise, and it would be over.

Once again, the noise erupted around them. The guards had to fight several people to keep them from trying to get to Neji, either to free him or do him harm. Kakashi stood up several times in a short period, wanting to defend Neji. But he always sat back down when someone else took care of it. He felt out of place and felt the tension in the air growing. Suddenly, amongst the growing chaos, a group of children broke through and ran to Neji, clinging to him and not letting go. One by one, the guards had to pull them away, screaming and crying and begging Neji to run.

Neji's resolve didn't appear to be breaking, but Kakashi's was. And it only got worse when the executioner appeared. Kakashi thought he looked very unpleasant indeed. He wore dark robes, and there was something about him. Something like a void that wanted to suck in all light. He looked cold and wicked and merciless. Kakashi suddenly felt that Neji's death would be drawn out longer than necessary.

And then the worst sight of all. A young woman burst through the crowd while things started to get more out-of-hand. She had a weapon, but she wasn't aiming for Neji. She was filled with rage and was running straight for the executioner. And apparently, she got far too close. Kakashi watched in horror as the executioner quickly made a seal with his hand. The young woman collapsed to the ground and started screaming. She was holding her head, and the green seal there was glowing brightly as the veins in her face strained. It was as though the executioner was intentionally increasing the intensity very slowly, because her screams grew louder and louder. Blood started to pour from her eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. Her screaming was tortured as it pierced the air, and she writhed on the ground. Her back arched up and soon her screams were gurgled in her own blood. Soon she stopped writhing and was twitching like a lifeless mass of flesh. Kakashi averted his eyes for a moment. It was a nightmare, and it was taking far too long. She was still alive, but in so much pain as her brain was very slowly being destroyed. Her body started to contort into ways that seemed impossible, and people screamed as one of her eyes burst from its socket. Finally, even long after she was dead, she was a twisted, bloody, twitching mass. The whole ordeal had taken not seconds, but was a long, drawn-out torture.

Neji could see none of this. It all happened behind him. But the screams, the waves of pain, he had heard and felt them all. Most people would have read his look as one of simple shock. But Kakashi knew that whatever emotion appeared on Neji's face had to be magnified a hundred times to see it for what it really was. Neji was terrified. Absolutely terrified. He only had to look at Kakashi and somehow ask for help. With a nod, a look, anything. Anything and Kakashi would sacrifice his position and life to save his.

But Neji didn't look at him.

And then, the sun started to burst over the mountaintops….

Neji took a deep breath. He looked up with quiet satisfaction, ignoring the slight shaking of his body, admiring the beauty of his last sunrise. It would only be minutes before that sunrise faded into black.

* * *

Sakura looked down at the bed and watched as Hinata slept. She silently apologized to the sleeping girl. Hinata had stayed over last night so that she wouldn't have to deal with the clan, and she had cried herself to sleep. But Sakura had helped in that. She put powerful medical drugs in Hinata's tea, and it would be a long time before Hinata woke up again. 

The sun started to break over the mountains, and Sakura's heart dropped. She looked back at Hinata, who was near collapse the night before. She knew that if Hinata were awake right now, her heart couldn't handle it. Or she would try to go to him, and it would only make it worse for her to see him that way. No, it was better that she wake later.

Sakura quietly walked outside and watched the sunrise. It was agonizingly slow. The light tried to break through the coming clouds, but even the rays that did make it signaled death and sorrow. The burning sphere climbed higher and higher, and Sakura felt as though the land and sky themselves were weeping as she felt the raindrops start to fall.

Higher and higher the sun climbed. Harder and harder the rain fell.

Higher and higher and higher.

And then it was free. And Sakura had never seen the rain fall so hard.

In her sleep, tears started to fall from Hinata's eyes.

* * *

"Kiba?" Lee asked frantically. 

"Akamaru and I scouted everywhere we could on that side of the forest," Kiba responded. "We didn't see one Hyuuga!"

"We must keep looking!" Lee said, the pouring rain getting into his eyes.

Naruto ran back, looking desperate and frustrated. "Anything?" he called to them through the echoing storm.

"Nothing," Tenten said with tears in her eyes.

"We'll keep looking," Chouji insisted. "We'll stop this no matter what."

"This is troublesome," Shikamaru said, "but I think they knew people would be trying to save him. They could be anywhere."

"We have to spread our search out!" Lee said anxiously. "We have to… just… keep looking!"

"Lee," Tenten said with tears in her eyes.

"Before it starts," Lee said, "we have to keep looking! Come on!"

"Lee," Tenten cried. "The sun came up already." She started to sob uncontrollably. "The sun came up! We failed! It's over!"

"It is NOT OVER!" Lee yelled. "I will go by myself!"

"Lee," Kiba said gently as he put a hand on his shoulder.

"Stop acting like he is already dead!" Lee yelled, swatting Kiba's hand away.

"Hey," Kiba said, trying to hide his pain. "Akamaru and I are the best trackers here, and we can't find him. It could take you hours to find him, Lee. And when you do find him--"

"No!" Lee said, shaking his head. "He is alive."

"Stop," Tenten wept as she sank to her knees. "Just stop Lee…."

"No!" Lee said, holding back tears. "This cannot happen! After everything we went through! After we all tried so hard to prove to him that his destiny was not decided already! Then his clan slaughters him!" Lee was losing control, and Shikamaru and Kiba slowly moved in, trying to calm him. "He thinks we lied to him!" Lee yelled. "We made him think his clan did not govern his fate, and it did! After all was said and done we were wrong and he was right, and this is not something he should have been right about!"

By now Chouji was kneeling next to Tenten, who was sobbing in his arms. Kiba and Shikamaru were holding on to Lee who fought against their sympathy until he was as shattered as Tenten. And the rain continued to fall hard, soaking them to the bone, mixing with their tears.

And Naruto stood by, crying and thinking of Lee's words. As much as he wanted to deny it, everything Lee had just said was true. It was Naruto who taught Neji that he could decide which way his life was headed, and that fate wasn't decided for people already, as the Hyuuga clan had taught him. And Naruto, like Lee, felt that he had wronged Neji. He had shot down Neji's views about fate and spouted off his own, never once thinking that what Neji feared could come true. Did Neji feel abandoned by this? Did he feel as though no one cared about his pain? Naruto sank down and knelt in the mud, the rain stinging him.

* * *

Hours passed. It was well into the gloomy, gray aftertoon when Hinata awoke. She couldn't remember where she was until she saw the picture of Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi on the dresser. There was also a picture of Sai. She was at Sakura's house and had cried herself to sleep last night. She felt like she could doze off again, and her body felt so heavy. 

Suddenly she bolted up and looked at the clock. Hours and hours had passed since the sun rose. She shook her head in disbelief. It wouldn't sink in yet. She was in too much shock.

"She's in here," Sakura's voice came through the bedroom door. "Wait a moment."

Sakura opened the door and peeked inside. "Hinata, Lee is here to see you," she whispered.

Hinata nodded and tidied herself up a bit. She then nodded to Sakura, and Sakura let Lee come in. Lee looked as though he had been crying.

"Hinata," Lee said gloomily, "I have to tell you something important."

Hinata only nodded, still numb. She heard the door shut and realized that Sakura had left them alone.

"Actually," Lee said, looking down. "This is something Neji probably didn't want me to tell you, but…."

Hinata leaned forward slightly, hanging onto Lee's every word. It seemed as though Lee needed a moment to compose himself before he spoke again.

"I spoke to Neji about the accusations when we were in the sand village," Lee said. "And… there was one thing that we were mistaken about." He pulled out a copy of the journal entry that Neji was accused of writing and handed it to Hinata. "The other letters were fake," Lee said softly. "But not this one."

Hinata looked up in shock and read over the entry again.

_"I've hurt so many. I made them cry and bleed. What I did was unforgivable. And yet now, I want Hinata. I ache for her and her untouchable innocence. I want to make it mine. Soon she will understand. I will make her understand."_

Hinata shook her head slightly.

"It isout of context," Lee explained. "He never wanted to hurt you. He always felt guilt over the pain he caused you and everyone else, and he never fully forgave himself. But he told me that being with you made him feel clean again, and he did notwant to let go of that. He wanted you to understand that more than anything, but at the same time, he did notthink he deserved you or that you would accept him."

"No…" Hinata whispered, the numbness dissolving away. "Oh no…."

"He has been in love with you for a while now," Lee said sadly. "But when he found out he might die, he decided not to express this to you, thinking that it would make you feel worse. He said he did not want you to accept him out of pity. And even if you did love him back, he did not want to make you suffer more when his life ended by giving you hope that there could be something. So he kept it inside."

_"I'm not your cousin. Don't call me that anymore."  
__"Hinata, I had no idea…. I… I'm sorry… that I can't return your feelings. But I thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for honoring me this way."_

"He should have told me," Hinata whispered, her voice cracking. "He should have told me…. He should have told me!"

She started to cry in earnest, no longer feeling numb. No longer feeling only the shock. He was dead, and she was a fool. He died for her, rather than have her suffer for any period of time for him. And she didn't see it. She really was foolish.

Lee put an arm around her and she cried on his shoulder. But at that moment, Sakura flung the door open and looked at them seriously.

"Hinata," she said. "I just got a message from Kakashi-sensei!" She held upthe little tracking dog, Pakkun. "He'll take us to him!"

* * *

Gai had runinto Lee, Sakura, and Hinata on their way into the forest as he waited nearby for Kakashi to come tell him what he had seen. He had hoped that Kakashi would tell him that by some miracle, Neji had felt no pain. But his logic told him otherwise. But never being one to wait, he joined the three friends as they headed deeper and deeper into the forest, guilded by Pakkun. Hinata lead the way at full speed, traveling like the wind. 

They were to find it would take a very long time to reach the designated spot. It was starting to get very dark, but as they got closer, they were sure they were going to the right way. There was evidence that people had been here recently. New footprints in the mud, broken branches, small items that had been dropped. They never slowed their pace until torchlight caught their sight. Only then did they make their way with caution, thinking that the clan would have some traps set up or some scouts to prevent entry to the ceremony. But there was nothing to hinder them. Nothing at all. Of course, this worried Gai a great deal, and he had them spread out and proceed slowly.

Finally, they reached the clearing, and were not prepared for what they saw there. It was as though a tornado had touched down in the clearing. The footprints made it seem as though there was a fight, or a stampede, or some other form of mass panic. Torches lay dead on the ground, along with pools of vomit and blood. For whatever reason, portions of the edges of the clearing had caught fire, and the trees were blackened and branches were still burning. And then, the most striking of all… the lifeless bodies that littered the area. Whatever had happened, most of the people had left very quickly, and only a sad few were unfortunate enough to still be here when the unknown disaster struck.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura yelled as she ran to the silver-haired man lying face down against the cold ground.

Gai quickly went to her side and examined him. "He's alive," Gai said solemnly. "But we need to get him back to the village. Lee help--"

Gai stopped, noticing that Lee and Hinata had their attention elsewhere. He slowly turned, and there in the darkness, on the ground closest to the pillar in the center of the clearing, was a lifeless body, covered in awhite sheet . Blood was soaking through it.

Hinata made a move to run to the body but Lee stopped her.

"You shouldn't see this," Lee said softly.

Gai walked passed Lee, who held firmly to Hinata, and slowly knelt down next to the body. Making sure that he blocked Hinata's view with his ownbody, he slowly pulled the sheet back to reveal the face. He quickly let the sheet fall in place again, horrified at what he saw there. An eye missing, body contorted horribly, covered in urine. His eyes fell on the chains that surrounded the pillar for a moment before he looked back and the three waiting for him.

"It's not him…" Gai said, covering the young woman up again. "They've most likely already taken his body to be destroyed."

* * *

(Several hours earlier, just before sunrise…)

Kakashi followed Neji's eyes and looked to the coming sun. Neji looked sad, and he was trying to stop his hands from shaking. But he still looked very proud, and in some strange way, content. Dark clouds rolled in opposite the direction of the sun, and rain started to come down on them, harder and harder as the sun lifted itself into the air.

Then, the executioner stepped forward, and the look of satisfaction on his cold face made Kakashi want to kill him. Neji turned his eyes from the light of the sun once it was fully awake. But then he only closed his eyes, his face turned up the best he could with the chain around his neck. He stayed that way, his face feeling the cold rain while it could still feel.

The executioner rose a hand into the air, and formed a seal, a dark smile on his face.

Then, the wave hatred shook the area. Children ran screaming and crying into the forest, their parents frantically chasing after them. People started to vomit on the ground from the sheer pressure of the dark chakra thickening the air. Kakashi felt as though he wanted to tear his eyes away from the center of the clearing, but he couldn't. And then the wave of hatred came again. It wasn't the executioner, and it wasn't Neji. Movement caught Kakashi' eye, and he looked up to the top of the pillar to see a figure standing there, shadowed by the pouring rain. This mystery of a person seemed to be shrouded in a dark aura, and another wave of his feelings of hatred burst from him, causing even more fear to erupt around him. Many in the Hyuuga clan should have known how to handle the feeling… even dispel it. But they weren't aware of where the feeling was coming from, and the children, elderly, and those who didn't have the powers of the clan were already causing a panic. It seemed that only Kakashi saw the figure on top of the tall pillar.

Neji hadn't moved. He was still waiting, knowing full well that his uncle wouldn't let him leave alive. Neji wanted to keep the image of the sunrise in his mind. But even though there was now more chaos, and even thoughNeji's uncle felt the wave of hatred and murderous intent, he still advanced, his hatred for Neji the strongest emotion he could feel… even more than his own fear. He was ready to form the seal again when a flash of red caught his vision.

More people ran screaming from the clearing as a burning stream of fire took the shape of a dragon and swirled around them, hitting the trees at one side of the clearing. Kakashi felt the heat from where he was sitting and quickly stood up and ran into the clearing, trying to get past everyone else as they ran at him and around him. He was only concerned with getting to Neji. He wouldn't let him die like this. He had been a fool to sit there for so long!

Another stream of fire roared down onto the people below, and Kakashi felt his skin burning slightly. But he kept running towards Neji. But now he was too close. The wave of hatred hit him at full force, and he felt a feeling of great fear fill him. He knew it was all in his head, but his world was suddenly reeling.

"Get out of here, Kakashi-sensei," he heard Neji say in a strained voice. Without knowing it, Kakashi had thrown himself between Neji and his uncle.

Kakashi knew he shook his head, but he couldn't see Neji anymore. He felt as though the hatred being sent out had become solid, and was now like daggers and swords piercing his body. Neji, his body still extremely weak and no longer able to tolerate the mental and physical assault that the murderous chakra and illusions were causing, lost consciousness.

Kakashi, losing track of where he was, stumbled away, but to where he didn't know. He collapsed some time later. And no one saw the executioner flee.

The attacker leapt gracefully from the pillar and landed next to Neji. He drew his sword and cut through the chains cleanly, as though they were made of butter. Neji landed on the muddy ground in front of him.

"Hm," the person smirked. "Kakashi got himself hurt because he'd rather protect you then come after me. Just what did I miss these past few years…?" He looked around for a moment, seeing how far they were from the village. "To think I thought you powerful at one point," he muttered as he easily took Neji's body over his shoulder and turned to Konoha.

* * *

Naruto sat in his room sadly that night, thinking of the friend he had lost today. When someone knocked on the door, he didn't go to it. But after a while, the knock came again. Realizing that it might be Kakashi with news about what he'd seen at the execution, Naruto reluctantly got up and answered the door. There was no one standing there, and he frowned, annoyed. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized that someone was sitting next to the door. 

Naruto knelt down to take a closer look at the unconscious figure, covered with mud.

"…Neji?" Naruto whispered in surprise.

And high on the rooftops, Sasuke watched, the mud from Neji's clothes covering his own.

---To Be Continued---


	8. Blood

**Broken Helix: part VIII: Blood**

Something icy hit his face… something like cold water. Neji's eyes snapped open and he shivered slightly.

"Cold are we?" came the unfeeling voice of his uncle.

"…Where…" Neji said weakly. He looked around and only saw dark walls. He was in a very dark room, and he was strapped and chained down to a table.

"One of your friends provided the perfect opportunity," his uncle smirked. "It's too bad, really, to have one of your friends lead to your torment. If you live, be sure to thank him for allowing you this opportunity."

Neji tried to look around, but he felt so weak. His body was heavy. His clothes and hair and body and face were covered with mud and his own blood. His white eyes shifted to the table near the one he was lying on. It was covered with blades of all kinds. Some sharp, some dull….

"And someone else saw fit to betray you as well," his uncle chuckled. "Hinata is going to try to turn me in. She will fail of course, but it is the principle of the thing." He reached over and took a kunai from the table, then approached Neji and glared down at him.

"She is doing the right thing…" Neji said, his voice a whisper. "This is not betrayal…."

"Let's see how long you think that," his uncle smirked. "Now, let's begin way back where we started in your cell, shall we?" He started to cut Neji's clothes to shreds. "How often did you lay your hands on Hinata?"

"Never," Neji said, his voice growing in strength slightly.

"How often did your lips touch her?" his uncle asked, as he cut faster.

"Never," Neji repeated.

"How often did you defile her body?" his uncle asked, his voice growing darker.

"Ne… ver…" Neji winced as the blade started to cut more than his clothing. He felt his blood rise from his body in several places.

"Filthy boy," his uncle hissed. "You have no right to be a part of this honorable clan." Roughly, he grabbed what he could of Neji's long hair and sliced away at it with the kunai until his hair was near shoulder lenth. He threw the long strands on the floor and stepped on them.

But Neji didn't get angry. Rather, he appeared to be content. It was because he thought Hinata was safe. This only frustrated his uncle.

"Why?" his uncle growled. "Why you? You who have been a stain on our family! You who have committed so many wrongs against us! You who have sinned against everyone you know by trying to drag them into your darkness!"

"That is the past," Neji replied calmly. "And I am forgiven."

His uncle punched him across the face. "There is no forgiveness for you. You deserve to be hated and shunned for the rest of your life. You have deserved that for years. Yet people insist on loving you…."

Neji's expressed changed, though only in his eyes. There was something new there. It was pity. Neji pitied his uncle. He was still angry deep down for the way Hinata was treated, but the pity in his eyes was overwhelming. He saw his uncle's jaw tighten in anger, as Neji hadn't even realized the expression he was showing to him.

Neji flinched against his will when his uncle drove his hand between his legs.

"And here is the foul appendage that was used to defile her…" his uncle said with a mad glint in his eyes. The sound of a metal object could be heard sliding away from the table of weapons. "The object used to pollute her body so that it was no longer fit for me as anything but a toy."

"She was, and will always be, too good for you… or for me," Neji said, his eyes unwavering.

His uncle started to chuckle darkly. "She is mine now, and forever."

Neji saw the blade cut through the air. He thought he could brace himself and bare the pain, but it was more than he imagined it would be. He let out a sharp cry, though it was short lived. He gritted his teeth, though nothing could hide the fact that his body was feeling the full shock of what had just happened. His breathing was ragged and sweat started to pour from him. And all the while his uncle smirked down at him.

"Now you can no longer carry out your desires with my dear Hinata," his uncle laughed darkly as he tossed the bloody appendage to the floor.

"Hadn't… had the chance… to… use it yet…" Neji said through his teeth. "Less… reason… to miss it…."

His uncle's expression darkened a great deal. "Still playing innocent?" he glared. "Very well then. We'll examine another aspect of your loathsome life. How did you manage to learn the secret techniques of the clan without aid?"

"Prac…tice…" Neji said.

"Your eyes are too strong for someone of your lowly status," his uncle scoffed.

Another metal instrument being removed from the table. Neji didn't like this one bit.

"I'll leave you in darkness as black as your soul," his uncle said lowly, as the knife moved closer and closer to Neji's face.

Inwardly, Neji panicked, though he tried to calm himself. His body wouldn't move. He was too weak to fight his uncle off. For whatever reason, he couldn't draw the strength to break himself from these bonds, which would normally have been no issue from him. The lack of food, water, and sunlight was weighing on his body, as well as the loss of blood.

He suddenly thought of Hinata's face, and it was like a vision of beauty that flooded his mind. He only tried to think of her. But his other friends appeared as well. He imagined all of their faces. Every detail of their expressions. The way his powerful eyes had seen them smile and laugh and cry and hope. He was glad he got to see them that way….

His screams were unlike anything his body knew it could make. The sound echoed off the walls and lingered as the blade cut. His uncle went slow, and the blade was dull. Neji's screaming wouldn't stop. He tried to will himself to stop but his will was crumbling. The only sound he could hear were his continuous, tortured screams.

* * *

"Naruto!" Hinata said, running up to the blonde. "Naruto," she said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Neji… have you seen him? We have to look for him again! He could still be alive! The execution was--" 

"He's alive," Naruto said.

"Y… you know where he is?" Hinata blinked.

"I took him somewhere to get help," Naruto smiled. "No need for you to worry anymore, Hinata."

"Where?" she asked anxiously. "Where is he?"

Naruto looked down at the ground for a moment, then back to her. "I'm sorry, Hinata," he said with a slight smile. "I can't tell you. Just trust me though. He's alive, and he is receiving treatment right now."

"Naruto please," she said sadly. "I have to know where he is."

"I can't," Naruto said. "I made a promise. I trust you Hinata, but I made a promise. It's for Neji's own good. But it's okay, because no one will find him."

He smiled at her and she sighed softly and nodded. She trusted Naruto, but something felt very wrong. After a moment of thinking, she continued her search.

* * *

Blackness. Darkness. There was nothing else. And Neji's body was too shocked and exhausted to allow him anymore screams. His body wanted him to cry, but Neji knew there was nothing left to cry with. 

"It's too bad that your body wouldn't let you die from the pain sooner," he heard his uncle say. "Twenty minutes of cutting and you're still conscious. I would cut your hands from you know, but you'd die much too quickly."

Neji's body was shaking violently. He couldn't even tell where the pain was coming from anymore. But his body wouldn't allow him peace.

"Fear not, Neji" his uncle said in mock sympathy. "You won't suffer alone. One of your betrayers strayed a little too far while searching for you."

A muffled voice, struggling footsteps, then a sharp gasp. "Neji! No!" Hinata cried.

Neji turned his head slowly toward the direction of her voice. He could hear his uncle holding her as she struggled against him.

"Neji!" she cried. "I'm so sorry! I… I didn't think…!"

"Hi…na…….." Neji whispered, the pain ripping him to the core.

"Shall I gut him next?" came the cold voice, and then a sad whimper from Hinata. "Or shall we make another bargain? Maybe this is all the punishment he requires? Maybe, if you do as I say, I can release him after this?"

"Anything!" Hinata cried.

Neji heard this, but only as though he were dreaming it at first. He told Hinata to run, but it was as though the words never made it through the pain and out of his mouth. He could hear her clothes being torn away… or cut away. Against his pain, he tried to break his bonds and rise, but his body felt his struggles and started to shut down in protest.

There was brief silence all around him, and then Hinata's cry of pain… and the sound of flesh hitting flesh… again and again. Neji could hear Hinata biting back her cries, but she couldn't control her whimpers or the breaths that she could barely catch.

"Enjoy it while you can, my dear," her uncle whispered to her. "He is no longer capable of doing this for you."

There was the sound of weight hitting the ground, and now Hinata's cries erupted from the cold floor of the room. With every cry and every struggle that Neji could hear, he tried to make his body rise. But there was no chakra left to use. No strength left to summon. No amount of meditation or mental strength left to dull his pain. He knew it was hopeless to try, but he kept trying, and even when his body seemed to stop moving, his will was trying to make him rise.

Hours passed. Hours of Hinata crying and screaming and gagging and begging and struggling until Neji could only hear his uncle pounding into her. She was silent.

"Still alive, Neji?" the cold voice asked as the pounding stopped. "Hm. Still struggling I see. Well, let me help you."

Neji felt his bonds loosened and removed.

"I'll leave you two alone to suffer in peace," his uncle laughed before his footsteps grew faint.

Neji's body wouldn't move, even with the straps and chains gone. "H… Hi… nata?" he said hoarsely. When she didn't respond, he felt panic rising. Slowly, after about half an hour of frustrating, painful effort, he managed to roll off of the table. He fell hard on the cold floor, his stomach and chest resting on the rough cement.

In his blindness, he reached out in front of him and felt her long hair at the ends of his fingertips. She was so close to him…. And he couldn't even see her anymore. Barely able to move, he ignored his pain as his fingers slid up slowly to her cheek. He wiped her tears away the best he could, and somehow knew that her eyes were closed.

"…Hinata…" he whispered, wishing for a response, a movement, anything at all. She said nothing and was completely still. He hated it. His body was shaking as he slid a hand down her cheek, his body too far away to put his arms around her. He very slowly moved his fingertips down to her neck to feel her pulse.

There was none. Neji's breathing grew heavy and his soul started to crack.

The problem wasn't so much the lack of a pulse… as the lack of a neck altogether. Neji's hand landed in a sticky poll of blood.

"If you're looking for her body," his uncle's cold voice echoed above him, "it's on your other side."

Neji's will was gone. His strength was gone. His reason to keep going through the pain was gone….

"But," said his uncle, "it would be best for me to bring the body to you." The sound of a sword being pulled from the table caught Neji's ear. "It's time I took those hands now."

The sword made a low ringing sound as it sliced the air, and Neji heard it hit the concrete. But the pain of losing his hands was dull compared to the pain of losing Hinata. The pain of his blood draining from his wrists was nothing to him now….

He was kicked onto his back, and he felt something heavy thrown on top of him. He knew it was her headless body. Completely shattered, he started to scream. And through his screams he saw flashes of people through his mind. An image of chaos and people running, an image of flames flying through the air, the image of Kakashi reaching out to him, the image of his uncle glaring at him with red eyes instead of white, the view of the ground as someone carried him off somewhere, and finally Naruto's face grinning down at him.

Neji bolted upright, screaming and clinging to the body in his arms.

"Hey! Relax… relax Neji," he heard Gai say as strong arms wrapped around him..

The headless body was no longer headless. Neji could feel his hands clinging to fabric. He could see the bright room around him.

"You're okay," Gai said, sitting on the side of the bed and holding Neji against him. "Everything is okay."

To Gai's shock, Neji started to cry against his shoulder. He was clinging to him and shaking violently. Gai held him as a father comforting his child or an older brother comforting a sibling.

"You're okay, Neji," Gai said. "You're safe. It's okay."

"…A… a dream…?" Neji asked, his voice quivering.

"No…" Gai said. "Not quite. Some people would call it a breakdown, but now we know the source."

Neji's tears were dying down as the feelings of pain melted away.

"Neji," Gai said, still feeling Neji's shaking, "you were a victim of Mangekyo Sharingan. Your breakdown before, and what you experienced recently were products of that."

"…Sasuke…?" Neji whispered.

"No," Gai said. "Your uncle."

* * *

"You must drop the charges against Neji," Tsuande said to Hinata's grandfather. "Kakashi and other witnesses saw the executioner's eyes turn red. If you have a Sharingan user in your clan it easily explains the handwritting similarities in that so-called evidence you showed me. It would also explain Neji's previous mental collapse if he was a victim of Mangekyo Sharingan." 

"Preposturous," the old man said. "Byakugan and Sharingan cannot co-exist in one person! Another intruder was spotted during the execution! That person must be the key! He must also be responsible for the disappearance of the man you are accusing! This is all too convenient, if you ask me! Neji probably set it up! And we demand to know Neji's location!"

"I cannot tell you his location," Tsunade said calmly. "I only know that he is alive. But really, where he is now is not my problem. What I am concerned with is the Hyuuga clan being torn apart by Neji's execution, which is now based on shaky details and false evidence."

"The evidence is not false!" the elder roared. "It is fact!"

"No," someone said from Tsunade's doorway. "The evidence is most likely false. If one letter is proven to be false, then all have the possibility of being false. The charges will be dropped until further notice."

"How dare you--" the old man began as he spun around.

But he drew back in silence. There, standing proudly, was Lord Hiashi.

"I did not write that sentence for Neji," Lord Hiashi said with a stoic expression. "Our clan has no business hunting him down."

"But the letters from the girls that he killed--!" the elder spoke up.

"The investigation will continue as Tsunade sees fit," Lord Hiashi said. "She may also, if she chooses, sentence us for our crimes."

"What crimes have we committed?" the elder scoffed as he turned to stare at Tsunade.

"Simple," Tsunade said, a smile crossing her lips. "You see, ever since all of this started, Neji's comrades have done some investigation using documents that are public and legal. It was brought to my attention that Neji is not directly related to the head family in any way."

"And what of it?" the older man asked gruffly. "He is a lowly branch member from some distant, unrelated family. He has no blood ties to the head family and deserves no special treatment."

"Actually," Tsuande continued, "he never deserved ill-treatment from your clan either. The seal on his forehead is a breach of Konoha law, as Neji is not bound by the laws of the Hyuuga clan. I can have the head family members involved sentenced if I so wish." She no longer looked patient. She stood up and walked around the desk and stood between Hiashi and the older man. "Neji's father, Hyuuga Hizashi, adopted Neji. Neji's bloodline limit is from his mother, who was a Hyuuga of ancient and very distant relation to you all. Neji's father is from another clan. As you know, clans have laws. Children of people who marry into the Hyuuga clan must raise their children as Hyuugas with few exceptions. However, there are some clans, few and far between, that override these laws if their bloodline limit is strong as well. Neji's natural father is from the Hidden Village of the Mist. His family's rules and laws override the rules of the Hyuuga clan. All children born from that family, without exception, belong to that clan."

"Impossible!" the elder roared.

"There was some disaster in the Mist Village," Lord Hiashi said. "Neji's mother and father had to flee. Their marriage was forbidden because of the difference in family rules, but they continued their relationship nonetheless. They made it to Konoha and Neji's father died of injuries from the war. But there were ninja still after his child, thinking that Neji might possess the bloodline techniques of The Mist. Wanting a child of his own, and in an attempt to save Neji, Hizashi adopted Neji before he was born." Lord Hiashi looked down. "I allowed this to continue, and as a result, even though Neji shouldn't have had to bare it, I went as far as to place the seal on his forehead. He has suffered since."

The old man stood silent, his white eyes wide with fury.

"As you can see," Tsunade said, "the Hyuuga clan has breached the village laws. It is forbidden to place clan seals on people outside of that specific clan except in extreme circumstances. Neji's case is not an extreme circumstance. So, the matter of how his life will be handled falls to me, not your clan. Anyone from that clan caught trying to harm him will be punished."

The old man shook his head slightly and headed for the door. "I will call them off…" he said gruffy before disappearing.

Tsuande looked to Hiashi and grinned. "Naruto found Neji," Tsuande said. "He took him to Akimichi Chouji's to be treated for malnutrition. I made him promise to keep Neji's location a secret, but now that doesn't seem necessary."

"When the time is right," Lord Hiashi said, "I will go see him. And once again I will have to explain all that was kept from him."

* * *

"So then Shikamaru found the records about your birth and ended up telling Tsunade," Chouji said to Neji. "Oh, eat some of this, it will help you gain your strength." 

"Your family history is troublesome," Shikamaru added.

"Everyone was researching!" Ino chimed in. "Even Naruto!"

"Yeah," Chouji grinned. "But it was giving him a headache! And -- drink some of this -- Sai was helping a lot too."

"Man, Neji," Ino blinked. "You eat a lot…."

"Havem eatin like thish ima lon time…" Neji said with food in his mouth, though still looking ironically dignified enough for the sight to make Ino fall out of her chair laughing at him.

"Eat some of this too," Chouji said, pushing more food at him.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Chouji," Neji said (after swallowing.) "And thank you guys for trying to save me."

"We'd do it again," Ino shrugged.

"Hopefully next time it will be for someone who doesn't have such a pain in the ass family," Shikamaru smirked.

Just then, the door opened, and Sai walked inside.

"Your father let me in," he said to Chouji. And without another word he walked over to Neji's bedside and started at him.

"What are you looking at Sai?" Ino asked.

"I was told to do this," Sai said. He looked into Neji's eyes, and Neji looked back at him.

Sai waited for impatience to appear in those white eyes, but received none. He saw no hatred or anger, or even the trace that those feelings had ever been there. He didn't even see annoyance, which was the general emotion he seemed to get from Sakura and Naruto… and Chouji… and Shikamaru… and… well, the point was, he didn't see it now with Neji. Sai realized that Neji's negative feelings, like Naruto's, faded soon after the moments that called for those emotions passed. Neji was one of the most naturally serene people he had ever seen. But Neji knew more of emotions than Sai ever could, and somehow, Sai saw this in those white eyes as well.

"So, that's it," Sai said as he turned away and walked through the door. "No evil at all…."

Neji blinked. "I'll thank him when he isn't being so--"

"Cute?" Ino smiled.

"Freaky, Ino," Shikamaru said. "The word you were looking for was freaky."

Footsteps came down the hall again and they turned, waiting for Sai to do something weird. But instead, Naruto stepped into the room.

"If it isn't Naruto!" Shikamaru grinned. "Look who woke up," he said, pointing to Neji.

Neji met Naruto's eyes, and Naruto stood there, looking as though there were a million things he wanted to say. Shikamaru suddenly remembered what he had told Naruto, and he motioned to Ino and Chouji to follow him out. They did so, not understanding the situation, but knowing that it had to be important. Neji tilted his head curiously as they left and looked to Naruto, who slowly approached a chair and sat next to his bed.

"What's wrong?" Neji asked. "You look miserable. It's unlike you."

Naruto smiled a bittersweet smile and shook his head. "Gimme a minute," he said.

Neji passed Naruto his plate of food and Naruto finished it off before setting the plate aside.

"Thank you for believing in me," Neji said, breaking the silence.

"Of course I wasn't going to believe a stupid story like that," Naruto grinned.

"You're pretty smart for a dropout," Neji chuckled.

"And you're pretty nice for an asshole," Naruto smirked.

"So how bad did I look when you found me on your doorstep?" Neji asked.

"Pretty bad," Naruto said, his smile fading. "Took me a few seconds to realize it was you…."

"Naruto, before I forget," Neji said. "You didn't fail Sasuke, or me, or anyone. My clan is my burden to bare. Sasuke's decision to leave is his burden to bare. And your path to Hokage is governed by you and no one else."

Naruto stared for a moment. "You heard me," he said with a small smile. "After that 'breakdown'… you heard what we said to you?"

"Yes," Neji nodded. "Nearly all of it."

"You heard me do all that whining and still support me for a future Hokage?" Naruto asked, hanging his head a bit.

"Of course," Neji smirked. "I'll support you, even if only for my own entertainment. I wish be glad to deliver your mountains of paperwork just to see the look on your face."

Naruto smiled, and any negative feelings he had melted into nothingness. Naruto realized that he had worried for nothing. Neji didn't know anything of the information Sai and Shikamaru had found. And even if he did know, Naruto knew that the information wouldn't affect their friendship. Neji would always be Neji. Naruto would always be Naruto. Naruto had only been upset over what he had learned because he was insecure with his own abilities. Neji had done nothing wrong, and he hadn't been hiding anything from Naruto or trying to destroy their friendship behind Naruto's back.

But it didn't matter now. Sakura was right. Sitting with Neji for this short time solved everything and told Naruto a lot about where he and Neji stood as friends.

So it was okay that Sai and Shikamaru had discovered that Neji was a candidate for Hokage. It only meant that Naruto would have to try that much harder.

* * *

A young boy, mature and obedient as most boys his age in the Hyuuga clan, slowly opened the door to Lord Hiashi's hospital room. Tsunade had insisted that Lord Hiashi stayed for a while to get further treatment, and his clan knew where to find him. The guards on duty easily let the young boy pass, as Tsunade was in the room now. 

"Lord Hiashi," the young boy said as he stepped into the room.

"What is it, child?" Lord Hiashi asked, his eyes softening a bit. "What can I do for you?"

Suddenly, a flow of blood gushed from the young boy's mouth.

"What happened?" Tsunade exclaimed as he ran over to the boy and laid him down, opening his robes to heal him with her chakra.

"Clan…" the boy muttered. "Some left…. There was a fight…. Several have gone away…. My brother… he went away…."

"The clan has split, then?" Tsunade asked softly.

Lord Hiashi sighed deeply. "It is time to end this."

"Hostages…" the boy muttered.

"Who?" Tsunaded asked. "People from the clan?"

"No ma'am…" the boy responded. "Cousin Neji's… teammates…."

---To Be Continued---

(Hi guys! No need to worry too much about Neji's previous family. The Mist was mentioned mainly to explain that shady things happen in the clan all the time, and have been happening for a long time. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! All of the comments are really appreciated! The chapters take longer to write now that there is so much going on, so bare with me!)


	9. Drown

**Broken Helix: Part IX: Drown**

Hinata awoke from another nightmare. Her dreams were so strong now, and filled with so many horrible images. This time, she woke up in tears, her dream of finding Neji's body in the forest so real that she believed that she had really lost him. She turned and started to cry softly into the pillow.

"Something about my apartment makes you cry a lot," she heard a voice say as someone walked over and rested a gentle hand on her back.

The sun flooded in through the windows and sent rays of light around Neji's body. The birds outside sang more cheerfully today.

"Sleep in," Neji smiled. "You look like you had a rough--"

Hinata suddenly sat up and threw her arms around him. He blushed as she buried her face against his neck, her body crushed against his. His arms pulled her close, and he let out a sigh of relief. Flashes of the horrible nightmare of her death came to his mind.

"I'm so happy," Hinata said against him. "I thought I'd lost you. We really thought you were gone…."

"You bought me time…" he said. "But at what price?" He tightened his hold on her. "You must promise me that you'll never give up so much for me, ever again."

She pulled away gently and turned away from him. "I can't…" she said softly. "You'll just have to promise not to suffer anymore."

"He made me think he'd tortured you and killed you," Neji said. "I lost the will to live. I can't do that again, Hinata. I can't know you're going through that, not ever again."

"Then you know how I feel!" she said, turning to him with tears in her eyes. "I already feel bad enough for what I did…."

"I'm sorry," he said gently. "I'm sorry…. I don't mean to make you feel bad. But my duty is to protect you. And not just my duty, but my choice. My wish for you is to always be safe and happy."

Hinata stood there, looking exhausted. Looking torn.

"I won't let him or anyone hurt you like this ever again," Neji said softly as he touched a few points on her body with his fingertips. She feel asleep instantly, and he put her on his bed. He watched her sleep for some time, relieved to see her chest rising and falling. Relieved to watch her eyelids flutter from time to time. Relieved to see her alive. He carefully settled himself on the bed next to her and rested on top of the covers as she slept beneath them. In moments, he was asleep.

* * *

Hinata woke up before Neji did, well into the afternoon. She slipped out of bed and washed up, changing into a blue sundress. To her surprise, Neji hadn't stirred at all from her movements. He wasn't known to be a heavy sleeper. 

She walked over to the bed and stared down at him. He was pale, and looked like he needed the rest. After being tortured for so long, she didn't blame him. He made a small sound in his sleep and shifted a bit, and she found it adorable. She then blushed, realizing that because he was wearing a T-shirt, she could see the muscles of his arms, which he usually kept hidden. And the thin layer of white fabric did little to conceal the definition of his chest and stomach.

She thought of what Lee had told her about Neji loving her, but it all seemed so unlikely now. Or maybe it was just too good to be true that someone could actually return her feelings. But deep down, she wanted Neji to tell her. She wanted to hear him say the words with that deep sincere voice and those eyes that couldn't lie.

Hinata didn't want to part with him. She still feared for him. It still seemed as though someone could come for him again. He shifted a few times while she thought about this, and finally, his eyes opened. Never being one to sleep late, he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, seating himself at the edge and trying to will himself into alertness. He looked up at her and smiled sleepily, an expression she had never seen before.

Right now…. She wanted him to tell her. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted his love and his comfort. She wanted him to make her feel beautiful, and not like a plaything. She wanted….

She wanted….

For a moment she felt ashamed. She had thought of her status as a head family member and his as a branch member. She had imagined for a brief second of asking him to do something knowing that he wouldn't refuse because he was always so obedient to her family. But that was nothing but a blur of thought. She would never force him to do anything….

"Neji," Hinata said softly, her face slowly turning pink. "Would you… ummm… c… could you…"

"Yes," he said, looking into her eyes. "That will be my response when you finish your sentence."

"B… but… only if you… really want to…" she swallowed.

He calmly stared at her. "What to what?"

"Oh! Oh yeah…" she blushed more. "J… just… ummm…."

"The worst I could do is say 'no,' but I've already said 'yes.'"

Hinata averted her eyes, the blush still on her face and crawling to every part of her body. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Hinata," he said before she could open her mouth again. "What I said before… that I couldn't return your feelings… it wasn't because I didn't want to. It's not because I don't want to…."

She could only nod, and her heart started to pound harder. Why couldn't she be daring like Ino or determined like Sakura or flirty like Tenten? Why couldn't she hold him now and kiss him? Why, even after all that happened, was she so afraid of being rejected by him? And there he sat, so calm and strong and disciplined. Did he feel any emotions strongly anymore? Anything like desire?

Yes, that was it…. Hinata wanted to know that he felt something deeply for her. Something strong and intimate that no one ever saw in his eternal tranquility. Something just for her.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked, and she realized that she had been silent for a while, not meeting his eyes.

She looked up at him finally, but she only met his eyes for a moment. Her gaze went up to his forehead… to the green seal there that marked him as her servant. He was always the one serving her family….

"What can I do to make you happy?" she asked softly.

He tilted his head curiously, though his calm face didn't change to reflect it. "Let me make you happy," he said. And the worry in his eyes told her plainly that she looked more anxious and hurt than she thought she did. There was also something else there that she caught. Neji… was oblivious.

Hinata swallowed and wrung her hands together. "D… do you… really love me?" she asked.

"I do," he replied sincerely.

"As more than friends?" she asked softly.

"I do," he replied again.

Asking him to show her wasn't enough. He would do as she asked just because he was who he was. She didn't want to ask. But she had to let him know some other way….

"Neji," she said, taking a deep breath. "Stop being such a gentleman."

"And what does that mean?" he said, as he took her hands in his and drew her to stand closer in front of him as he still sat on the bed.

Hinata panicked, knowing that she was too embarrassed to explain herself. But he didn't stop pulling her forward. He wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her in, so that she found her legs on either side of his, one of her feet on the floor and one of her knees propped up on the bed , her leg against his outer thigh. She blushed even more, as his face was dangerously close to her chest and the short sundress rode up her thighs in this position. He looked up at her, a knowing smile on his face. He had understood her.

"You can say 'no' to me and I'll stop," he said.

She said nothing, and he stood up slowly, giving her time to stand properly before wrapping his arms around her waist again. He looked into her eyes for a moment before leaning down to kiss her. He didn't stop part way and wait for her to meet him. He went straight for her lips and kissed her deeply. She timidly wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he pulled her in closer, her body pressed firmly against him. She felt her breasts against his chest and felt slightly embarrassed, but his lips made her less conscious of it.

He broke the kiss, and met her eyes. She clung tightly to him, as if afraid that he would leave her. He squeezed her reassuringly and kissed her forehead. When he lowered his head again his mouth touched the side of her neck. With every lingering kiss on her neck, her body tensed without her knowing. She didn't know that he could feel this, and thought nothing of it when his lips moved up to her ear. Without warning he gently blew into her ear while his hand slid over to tickle her side. Immediately she squealed and tried to squirm away from him. With one arm still around her waist he held her in place with a sly smile. His lips were at her neck again as he tickled her once more so that she was in a fit of giggles before she realized what she was feeling. She no longer grew tense, and his arms wrapped around her again.

His kisses grew more intense, and she shivered when she felt him bite her neck gently. Her knees grew weak every time she felt him sucking at the sensitive flesh, but he stopped before it would leave a mark. He lifted his head to brush his lips against hers before moving to the other side of her neck, leaving very little neglected.

She was trembling when he looked into her eyes again, and she couldn't stop herself. He let his hands fall away from her body and then took her hands, leading her to the bed.

"Lie down," he said softly.

She slowly climbed onto the bed and put her head on the pillow. She looked up at him nervously as he joined her there, resting his weight on top of her. Maybe it was his guidance, or maybe it was natural, but she had parted her thighs, and his legs were between hers. Feeling his body against her there, her trembling increased.

He kissed her deeply again, and she returned his kiss without hesitation, though it did nothing to stop her shaking. She wrapped her arms around him and her hands gently slid up and down his well toned back. Their eyes had been closed, but it seemed as they though both opened them at the same time. He looked into her eyes with his penetrating gaze as he kissed her, and she felt his tongue enter her mouth. He tasted sweeter than she imagined he would, and he was teasing her slightly, his tongue exploring her mouth slowly. But then he intensified his kiss, and gave her no choice but to taste him with the same enthusiasm.

When the kiss was broken, Hinata felt as though she needed to catch her breath. And she had her chance, because Neji had lifted himself up a bit, as was gently touching the bruises that were slowly healing on her arms. Bruises shaped like fingers that had crushed her as she suffered and cried. A spark of anger appeared in his eyes, but it soon melted away when he felt her fingertips against his neck. He had been hurt and bruised also, from the metal collar and chains that bound him. They looked at each other sadly, each wanting to erase the pain of the other.

But then Hinata turned her head to the side and looked away. She felt ashamed. Not because of Neji's actions or her desire for them, but because she no longer felt worthy of his touch. After all that happened with her uncle she still felt damaged.

"Maybe I should stop?" Neji said gently, cupping his hand to her cheek.

She put her hand over his and shook her head. "Neji…" she said timidly. "I'll… I'll do anything you want…. I won't say 'no' to you."

Neji closed his eyes in thought for a moment, then looked down at her again. "Hinata," he said, his thumb caressing her cheek. "Between us, who is stronger?"

She blinked and looked up at him with a small smile. "You are," she said, answering the obvious.

"And who is more dominant?"

"You are," she answered again.

"Then who has the most control over what happens when we are together like this?" he asked.

"You do," she responded, but he shook his head this time.

"Not me," he said kindly. "You have the most control. You have control so that things like this," he gently touched her bruises, "don't happen."

She looked up with understanding and nodded, her smile growing brighter. She was beautiful, lying there with her long, dark hair spread out underneath and around her on the bed, highlighting her pale features which were now colored pink with her blush. She slowly reached up to him and sat up a bit, reaching behind him to pull his hair loose from it's tie so that it fell around them both like a veil. She smiled, resting her head on the pillow again.

"You're blushing too," she giggled.

"If you could see what I could…" he trailed off, leaning down and capturing her lips again, putting his weight on her and feeling every curve of her body against his.

He had one arm wrapped around her now, his free hand still against her cheek as they kissed. But she gently took his hand and guided him down to her chest, holding his hand near her heart. She nearly fainted at her own actions, but when she slid her hand away and wrapped it around him, his hand remained there, making her feel warm inside.

When his tongue slipped into her mouth she met him with passion, and feeling her willingness he deepened the kiss to the point where her whole body started to tingle. It was as though he wanted to go deeper and deeper, never getting enough. His hand started to caress her soft breast through the fabric of her dress, and her body arched slightly to meet his hand, encouraging him onward.

His tongue left her mouth and ran along her lips before he stared into her eyes, their lips barely touching. And the look in his eyes was unlike anything she had ever seen in him. Somehow, she knew he would no longer wait for permission….

He slowly slid his body down hers, his lips kissing down from her lips to her neck. He slid his arm from underneath her body and she felt his hands undoing the ties of the thin straps at her shoulders. The straps of her dress came undone, and she felt the fabric pulled down over her ample chest until her strapless bra was completely visible to him. Neji's long hair tickled her as he brought his head down to kiss the valley between her breasts.

"How far down does your blush go?" he whispered in an amused tone.

She had no time to protest his teasing remark. Her attention turned to his hands sliding beneath her. She suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment, but her body was more willing, and she felt herself raising her back just enough for him to unhook her bra. He pulled it from her body gently, his eyes on her face as he did. She knew she couldn't hide her slight embarrassment, but she smiled at him, and he winked before lowering his head to her body again.

She felt his mouth kiss across her upper chest as his hands gently squeezed each mound. His hair slid across her skin with every movement, and every sensation made her shiver. Her hands were tangled into the long hair at his back, but she felt as though she wasn't touching enough of him. And then she felt one of his hands slide down to her thigh, gently caressing the smooth flesh there as he slowly made his way up her short dress, then back down. And now, instead of his hand against her breast, she felt the warmth of his mouth. She gasped as he sucked the sensitive nipple between his lips, one of his hands still caressing her other breast… the other teasing her thigh. She only briefly had time to marvel at how many things he could do at once, because she couldn't think straight when he gently bit down with his teeth, then slowly traced her nipple with his tongue. He continued to suck her, bite her, and tease her until she was slightly sore with the kind of ache that made her want more of him. She felt his hand move from her thigh to her breast again, to gently touch her, caressing the pain away slowly. He kissed across her chest to her other breast, and now his other hand slid down to her thigh. She was breathing heavily now as he continued as he had before.

After a long while, his mouth still pleasuring her sensitive skin, he slid his hand away from caressing the soreness of her other breast and slid it underneath her, holding her close. She felt him shift his weight to one side, and he bit down on her nipple again before kissing up to her neck. He buried his face against her neck, and she thought he wanted to stop. But then she felt his hand sliding from her outer thigh to her inner thigh very slowly. She inhaled as she felt his fingertips against the inside of her thigh, moving slowly upward, then down again.

He kept his face against her, not kissing or biting or teasing. He wanted her to feel this, every bit of it. He moved his fingertips up her thigh once more, but this time he didn't retreat. A spark of surprise shot through her as he touched her, the only thing keeping him from her being the thin fabric of her underwear. She squirmed at his touch, but the arm he had wrapped around her kept her firmly in place. She made a small sound of longing as his fingertips pleasured her through the thin cloth barrier, which was getting more and more damp at his attention. He continued until she was at her breaking point.

And then he stopped, and she wanted to beg him to keep going. She wanted to feel released. But he wasn't finished, and he slowly pushed her dress up, and then his hand descended downward again, sliding into her underwear, breaching the barrier that kept him from her.

She whimpered in anticipation as his fingers pleasured her once more. She felt him shift, and his head rose to kiss her. This time, she was the one to dive into him, her mouth and tongue expressing the longing he was making her body feel. She moaned softly into his mouth again and again.

The waves of excitement and anticipation suddenly overcame her. The moment the kiss was broken she threw her head back against the pillow and moaned in ecstasy, and he held her against him as her back arched. The surge of pleasure spread from between her legs to every inch of her body until she was overcome with the euphoria of her body's release, and her body seemed to be drowning in the softness of the bed as she relaxed slowly.

Neji slid his hand from between her legs and brought his fingers to his mouth, tasting her, and she drew in a breath watching him, so sensual and tranquil as he moved. He seemed to be savoring the taste, and when he met her eyes a flicker of surprise crossed his own, as if he forgot he had an audience. She smiled sweetly at him, and his cheeks turned slightly pink.

He looked down at her body, and she wanted to cover herself when she realized her state. The bottom of her dress was pulled up to reveal her underwear, the top pulled down, exposing her breasts. A smile spread to the corner of his mouth when he caught the look on her face. He slowly reached out and started to pull the zipper at the side of the dress. Her eyes widened when the zipper had been pulled, and when he started to pull the dress down her body until he could drop it to the floor. Somehow the loss of that item of clothing made her feel more exposed and slightly embarrassed than she had already. But it was nothing compared to what she felt when the last piece of fabric left her as he slid her underwear down her legs and placed them down with her dress.

He was studying her body, and she felt like she could pass out. Neji's eyes never just looked at things. He always seemed to find something much deeper about what he was looking at. He was on his knees between her legs now, his hands moving up from her calves to her thighs, over her waist and stomach, her breasts, neck, shoulders, arms, and anything else he could touch. His hands followed his eyes, and he never stared at any part of her for too long. Hinata wished she could read his thoughts.

Neji's hands moved up to her face, and his fingertips very gently brushed her cheeks. She giggled when one of his fingertips slid down her nose from bridge to tip, and then his fingers slowly traced the edge of her ears. He was smiling down at her fondly.

"W… what were you thinking about…?" she asked timidly.

He smiled and looked into her eyes. "That you're beautiful… full of worth, strong, soft, radiant, and giving." And grinned teasingly. "And that now I know how far down that blush goes."

Hinata smiled, butfelt tears spring to her eyes. "I wish… you were the first to see me…" she said softly, her girlish voice very sad. "Uncle made me feel so dirty and worthless…."

"No force on this earth can defile you, Hinata," Neji said. "He was unworthy, as am I. He didn't even know how much beauty was right in front of him." He kissed her lips gently and then pulled away with a smile.

"H… hey!" Hinata exclaimed. "I'm the only one without any clothes on!"

Neji looked down at himself as though he hadn't noticed. "Hm, so you are."

She sat up and reached for his shirt but he caught her hands and grinned slyly at her. "Stop, I'm shy," he said.

"Neji!" she pouted.

"Yes, Lady Hinata?" he asked as he firmly took her by the waist and slid her back against the headboard, so that she was sitting with her back against it.

"You aren't being fair!" Hinata complained innocently.

"Oh?" he smirked. "And why not?" He gently parted her legs and lied down on his stomach on the bed in front of her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he kissed her stomach.

"Y… you know I'm embarrassed!" she exclaimed. She blushed every shade of red possible, sitting naked with her legs spread, knees bent up and feet flat on the bed as he kissed down her body.

"And you want me to feel the same embarrassment you do?" Neji said in mock hurt as he paused his kisses. "Lady Hinata, that's just mean."

"Neji!" she pouted like a hurt child. "Stop calling me Lady -- AAHH!"

His kisses had reached their goal, and Hinata leaned her head back against the headboard, recovering from the sensation. She looked down again to she him, his long hair obscuring the view of his face between her thighs. His kisses grew stronger in pressure… and then his tongue. Hinata squirmed and couldn't stop the high pitched sounds erupting from her mouth. One of his hands disappeared beneath the sheet of his hair, and she gasped when she felt his fingers enter and retreat with agonizing slowness.

Her hands went into his hair, and she whispered his name without thinking. He applied just enough pressure and pleasure for it to go on and on and on for what seemed like a wonderful eternity. When that eternity was over, Hinata felt several jolts of ecstasy explode throughout her body rather than just one. He sat up, running his tongue over his lips and slipping his fingers into his mouth once more. He helped Hinata to lie down again, as she was now quivering all over and could hardly move on her own. When he was done, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, his body covering hers, his weight resting on her.

Hinata didn't know what to say to him now, but she wanted him to feel as she did. Gently, she tried to push him away so she could return the feelings he gave her, but he wouldn't budge.

"Neji," she said softly, "I… I want to -- if you want me to -- I…" she gently pushed again. "Neji… you're heavy!"

She felt him smile against her neck. He lifted himself up, putting his weight on his forearms so he could look down at her. "I'm going to go take a very, very cold shower now," he smirked.

"B… but--" she started to protest, but he kissed her softly, silencing her.

"I'll be back," he said as he gently moved off of her and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You don't want me to?" she asked, pouting.

He turned to her with a small smirk of sheer amusement and rose his brows slightly. "That's definitely not the case," he said.

She quickly sat up in bed and moved behind him, wrapping her arms around him from behind. He could feel her bare breasts pressed against him through the thin cotton of his shirt.

"How many of the family vows did you accept in order to be my protector?" Hinata whispered in his ear.

He tried to stand, but she held him in place. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "It's not important," he said.

"How many…?" she asked again.

He sat there silently, her chest against his back, her hands gently caressing his chest and stomach.

"Nearly all," he answered finally. "One of which, I probably just breached."

Hinata shut her eyes and rested her forehead against his shoulder. The Hyuuga clan made certain members take vows if they were involved closely with the head family, and especially if they were protecting members of the head family. Truthfully, the people who took the vows did so of their own free will. If they wanted to perform certain duties, they were sometimes required to take the vows as prerequisites to those duties. These duties and positions were very honored, but the vows were very strict. Someone in the head family had required that Neji take many of these vows if he wanted to continue being Hinata's protector. In the history of the clan, very few people had taken as many as Neji seemed to be implying that he had taken. The vows strictly detailed how much alcohol one was allowed to consume in a year, that smoking or any drug was forbidden… even most medicines, that the person had to go through a rigorous purification ritual once a year, and so on. Many foods and drinks were restricted. Activities and hobbies were restricted. Sexual intercourse… forbidden. To take too many vows would lead most to unhappiness. If the vows were broken, the punishments were extremely painful and the person was shamed and dishonored.

"That's why you won't take more helpful medicine when you're sick," she whispered. "And why you disappear once a year and come back looking so ill. It's from that purification ritual…. And why you suddenly stopped eating some of the foods you liked…." She stopped, thinking back to all the changes Neji had made, and all of the odd behaviors that she couldn't explain before. "You did that just to protect me?" she asked, pain in her voice.

"Of course," he said, leaning back against her slightly. "I wanted to be the one to take care of you. I also did many of these things on the path to spirituality," he said. "Don't feel bad for me."

"Would you have taken all of those vows anyway then?" she asked.

"Absolutely not," he chuckled. He then stood up and walked toward the bathroom. "I'll take you to dinner later," he said before disappearing.

Hinata watched him go, feeling guilty. There was so much she didn't know about him….

---To Be Continued---


	10. Pulse

(I'm posting two chapters at once, so make sure you read the last one!)

**Broken Helix: part X: Pulse**

Neji walked into Lord Hiashi's study and knelt on the floor in front of him, bowing his head respectfully. "It is good too see you well," Neji said.

Lord Hiashi stared at him for a moment, then sighed deeply. "As you know, members of this clan have rebelled. My food had been poisoned by a liquid that quickly leaves the body and has no scent or taste. That is how I nearly drowned in my own bath. All of this had been planned."

Neji nodded and thought of telling Lord Hiashi about what happened to Hinata and how she did it all for him, but it didn't seem right to tell her story for her.

"I imagined this might happen one day," Lord Hiashi said. "And… I thought that when it did, you would go with them."

Neji blinked in surprise. "I would never betray you, Lord Hiashi."

"But I have betrayed you," Lord Hiashi said.

"I was rash years ago," Neji said. "I was run by my hatred. But ever since you told me the truth about my father's death--"

"There is something else," Lord Hiashi said. "I know that people in this clan have been digging into your past, and they told you that you are not Hizashi's natural child."

Neji looked away, hurt in his eyes. He nodded slightly.

"What they have failed to tell you is that your birth father is from a clan that has birth laws stronger than our own," Lord Hiashi said wearily. "The seal I carved into your forehead is a sin that I can never ask forgiveness for. Not only did it affect your life in so many ways, it was done illegally… and has no place on you."

Neji looked at him, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Forgive my foolishness," Lord Hiashi said. "Once again, I ask your forgiveness. All that you have suffered at the hands of this clan, all of the vows you've taken, all of the pain you've gone through… it could have been prevented if I had not been so arrogant to believe that I knew what was best for you."

Neji lowered his head and stared at the floor, his heart pounding in his chest.

"I will say this," Lord Hiashi continued. "I loved my brother, the one you knew as your father. And he loved you as if you were his own. And… I care for you as if you were truly my nephew. I was secretly happy to have you as part of this family. I breathed easier when everything between us had been resolved. And I was afraid to tell you all of this for fear of losing you again."

Neji only looked down, but Hiashi could tell he was too hurt to think of any words.

"Neji," Lord Hiashi said, straightening himself. "The Hokage requests your presence. Go to her."

"…Yes, Lord Hiashi," Neji said softly as he stood. He left quickly, not looking up once.

Once outside, he quickly sprinted across the village and made it to the Hokage building. He went up the stairs and entered Tsunade's study quietly, his head swimming.

"I won't grant you permission to leave your clan, so don't bother giving it a thought," Tsunade said.

Neji looked up as she motioned for him to sit at the seat in front of her desk, and he did so. Though, he looked very distracted.

"…Why wouldn't you?" Neji asked. It wasn't that he actually thought of leaving, but there was something so appealing about being freed of all the burdens of his clan right now.

"You are one of the best things to happen to that clan, Neji," Tsunade said kindly. "If you left, they would remain in their old ways. And… I know you were either caught in your own mind or locked in a cell for most of this time, but people united to save you in a way I've never seen. They recognize your worth to your clan, to this village, and as a person."

Neji looked up at her, and some of the hurt faded from his eyes. But it pained her to know that she would have to be the one to hurt him now.

"Neji… I called you here because your team, all three of them, have been taken by the rebels who separated from your clan recently."

"What?" Neji said, rage building in his eyes.

"As you've no doubt heard by now, the man who tried to organize your execution has Mangekyo Sharingan. His mother was an Uchiha, though the trait didn't appear in her. Somehow, he has both Byakugan and Sharingan, which has never occurred in one person in all history. As you know, this Sharingan can cause mental breakdown by creating illusions so strong that the person shown these illusions can't break free. While you have the chakra knowledge to dispel most genjutsu and mind techniques, you must know they are occurring before you can do so. From what you tell me, you didn't even know who you were, an therefore, couldn't remember your training."

Neji nodded.

"This is probably the same for Lee, Tenten, and Gai," Tsunade continued. "It is the best possible explanation for their capture. And for whatever reason, the illusions your uncle uses seem to remain even if he is no longer activating Sharingan. He must be a highly powerful genjutsu user. Also, many of the people who left know Jyuuken, as you do. They are extremely dangerous."

Neji shifted in his chair, but his mask of cold calm fell over his face.

"I am telling you this because you deserve to know," Tsunade said. "But you are forbidden to seek them out."

Neji looked up with questioning eyes. "Is there nothing I can do? Please… I'm the best defense against members of my own clan…."

"I forbid it," Tsunade repeated firmly. "You and Hinata are forbidden to take on this mission. The man leading organized everything, Neji. He plotted Lord Hiashi's death, he tried to stain your reputation in your clan and tried to execute you, he has been assaulting people in your clan, and those two girls committed suicide because of his abuse. He used the Sharingan to forge those letters, and he uses his position in the clan to torture others. But the most important fact here is that he wants you dead."

"I will never understand his hatred for me," Neji said softly.

Tsunade said nothing. She could tell Neji that his uncle was jealous of Neji for a variety of reasons. Or she could tell him that his uncle feared change and Neji's power to create it. Or… she could tell him that he was a candidate for the position of the future Hokage… but all of that would be too big a burden.

"You will not be assigned any missions for the next couple weeks, at least," Tsunade said finally. "Recover fully, and don't worry. We'll get them back."

Neji hesitated, but then stood up. He bowed and thanked her, then he left. For hours, he wandered the village in thought.

* * *

So it was just as he thought. The Hyuuga clan was falling apart, which would deplete Konoha's power. And not only that, they were kidnapping people from the village. What an ugly situation this was. It was becoming harder and harder to keep all sides balanced. 

Kabuto sighed and fixed his glasses to sit properly on his face. He stood in the field, acting as though he were tending to the rice. Trying to hide from or sneak up on Hyuuga clan members would be pointless. He only watched as they carried with them three very dazed looking hostages.

Of course he had tailed Sasuke and sent spies to watch him. Sasuke most likely knew he would do this, but the young man didn't seem to notice or care. That was fine with Kabuto. He would rather avoid confrontation with Sasuke. And he did get some interesting information about another living Sharingan user who hadn't been killed by Uchiha Itachi. He found it all quite fascinating, actually.

But first things first. In order to keep all necessary players going for now, Kabuto needed to free Gai and his team. Gai's team was far to capable, and had proven to be a good match for the Akatsuki. Disposing of them now would cause the Sound ninja a lot of headache, so better to keep Gai in the picture. The question was, how could Kabuto get close enough to people who could see through objects and over long distances without moving?

A diversion of course. Now, the type of diversion would be a different matter. Who could Kabuto use to create that kind of panic? Sasuke had, for reasons of his own, saved Hyuuga Neji's life without being seen. Kabuto still couldn't figure out why Sasuke had done it, but that didn't matter now. Sasuke was no where to be found. But then… Sasuke was always unpredictable.

* * *

"Feeling okay?" Naruto asked as he sat next to Neji on the grass under the cloudy sky. 

Neji shook his head slightly.

"It's painful," Naruto said. "Not knowing where those you care about are, and not being allowed to go find them. Not being able to see him all the time, and not knowing if they're okay."

Neji nodded looking to Naruto.

"But you know," Naruto grinned. "Between us, you've got it pretty good. I mean, Sasuke ran off because he wanted to and is willing to give up his soul to get what he wants. I don't know what he thinks of me…." Naruto looked down at the grass for a moment before looking at Neji again. "But you, you know the people you lost care about you. You know that they are out there somewhere, missing you. And you know they will do everything they can to get back to you."

"But wouldn't they expect me to be looking for them?" Neji asked.

"They'd understand if you couldn't," Naruto grinned. "It gets frustrating sometimes, but so far, Tsunade hasn't let us down. Not that I'm any good at it, but it's good to listen to her."

Neji smiled and nodded.

"Oh, and Neji," Naruto said. "This is also something I'm not good at sometimes… but stop being so hard on yourself. It seems like you're your own worst enemy sometimes. But everyone cares about you and supports you, so why bother getting on your own case like you don't deserve to be cared about?"

Neji looked up at the clouds to see the birds fly past. "As always, Naruto," Neji said. "You have better eyes than me."

* * *

Hinata was waiting for him in a pretty sky blue nightdress when he returned to his apartment in the evening. 

"I'm sorry I keep breaking in like this…" she said softly. "But… I…"

"I'm always happy to see you," he said, pulling her into a hug.

Hinata smiled and led him to the bathroom where she had prepared a hot bath for him. He kissed her on the forehead and went inside to bathe. She waited for him in the front room, which was dimly lit by the crystal fountains. When he came back he had a white towel draped over his long, damp hair, and he had on his white cotton T-shirt and white sweatpants. With his white eyes and pale skin his dark hair was a beautiful contrast. He looked so unthreatening.

"You talked to Father…" she said, cupping a hand to his cheek. "I know what he told you."

Neji slowly sat down on the couch. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his face resting in his hands.

"All of the bitterness I had, and the pain I caused everyone… it could have been avoided," Neji said. "I don't know if I could have still been taken into the clan without this seal, but… what if it was never placed on my forehead? How different would things have been?"

"But…" Hinata said timidly. "Your father would still have died."

"Yes," Neji nodded. "That may be, and I would have still felt the pain over it. But this seal has done so much to shape me. It was a symbol of my hatred in the past. And every time I looked into the mirror I was not only reminded of my father's death and my position in the clan, but of how much my own hatred hurt those around me. And… even if the seal had done nothing to increase my hatred in the past, look what it has done now. Because of this, because you wanted to protect me from the pain of this seal, you went through all of that suffering."

Hinata sat next to him and rubbed his back gently. "The only one we can blame for that is Uncle," she said. "You're blameless for this. Stop blaming yourself when things go wrong."

Neji sat back on the couch, and she wrapped her arms around him. He thought of her words and Naruto's, and they were right. Blaming himself would never get him anywhere.

"I know you are also hurt because your team is missing," Hinata said. "But they will be back soon. They will be safe. Tsunade sent the ANBU out to save them."

Neji nodded, still feeling powerless, but somehow feeling less weight on his shoulders. He rested his head on her shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered.

She held him close for a while, then pulled away. "I made dinner," she smiled. "It used to be your favorite, but you stopped eating it. I hope you still like it!"

Neji blinked, realizing he was only now smelling the food in the kitchen. "But, that food is against one of the vows I took. It's supposed to be 'unclean.'"

"But I'm telling you to eat it," Hinata smiled. "I'm telling you as a head family member, so you have to eat it if I say so."

Neji looked at her mischievous smile, which was still so childlike in it's mischief. And she could tell from the look on his face that he really wasn't sure that she was allowed to do that, but that he was starting to think that it made sense.

"It's true," Hinata said. "You have to!"

Neji sighed at her with a smile and nodded.

"Stay here!" she giggled as she ran to the kitchen and came back with a bowl of stew with many… interesting… ingredients in it.

Neji was actually a bit afraid now. He had seen Hinata's and Hanabi's efforts in the kitchen, and couldn't figure out if they were just being experimental or if they were just plain horrible cooks. He took a deep breath. He would endure. Hinata carefully sat next to him with the tray on her lap and the bowl on the tray. She smiled sweetly as she lifted the spoon to his mouth, and he tried to keep a straight face as he opened for her to gently place the warm contents inside. And then Hinata sat watching him, waiting for a reaction. She was actually leaning in very close, waiting to catch even the slightest flicker of emotion.

Suddenly he looked at her as though heaven had just invited him in for a stroll. "That was the most delicious thing I've ever put in my mouth," he said sincerely. "Second to you of course," he added.

Hinata blushed scarlet, but continued to lift the next spoonful to his lips. "Do you really like it?"

"Hm?" he responded blissfully, with a slightly dreamy look in his eyes.

Hinata started to laugh adorably as she fed him. After a few moments she put the tray on his lap and ran off to get him something to drink. When she got back the food was already gone.

"Seconds?" she asked.

"You aren't eating," he said.

"I ate as I cooked it," she said as she set his tea down on the table and took his tray. She left for the kitchen again and refilled the bowl, then came back and set it on his lap again. She then marveled at how quickly he finished it. He put the tray on the table and smiled at her.

"Finished," he smiled. "Thank you, Hinata. I never thought I'd eat that again…."

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek gently, then scooted closer so they could wrap their arms around each other.

"This is painful…" Neji said after a long while.

"What is?" Hinata asked, looking up with worry.

"Not being able to fully express how I feel for you," he said.

"I know how you feel for me," she smiled warmly.

"But how long will that be enough?" has asked. "You deserve someone who can give you everything, and make you feel -- well, just make you feel."

"And what do you deserve?" Hinata asked.

Neji looked into her eyes. She could tell he hadn't asked himself that. She gently kissed him on the cheek again before climbing into his lap, facing him. She sat there, her eyes locked with his, her hands cupped against his cheeks. She leaned in and kissed him very softly, as though they had never kissed before. Ever since that night they had been so intimate, he had been the perfect gentleman again.

When she broke away from the soft kiss she gently pulled the towel from his hair a put it aside. She brushed the backs of her fingers against the sides of his neck, smiling sweetly at him. He seemed very relaxed under her touch. But his eyes became unsure when she slid her hands down his chest and stomach very slowly before starting to remove his shirt.

"I shouldn't… In front of you I can't--"

"Please take it off," Hinata said, her innocent voice with a hint of authority.

After some hesitation, he slowly pulled his shirt off. Hinata was floored. His body was near perfection. The muscles were strong and more defined than she would have thought, and his hard body seemed to contradict the soft soul inside. She gently touched him, feeling every inch of his shoulders, chest, and stomach. Occasionally she would lightly touch the faint scars left by his battles, especially the two areas where two large arrows had almost claimed his life years before. She saw his skin flushing slightly, and she met his eyes, which seemed conflicted. No matter if no one found out, Neji always felt horrible for breaking a rule, especially a vow that allowed him to be near her.

Hinata gently kissed his forehead, her lips touching the seal there. She then kissed his lips, more deeply than before. He kissed back, unable to deny what he felt, and she gently caressed his shoulders and neck. She let her kiss linger, then kissed down to his neck. He seemed afraid to touch her, as though doing so would lead to something dangerous, but she gently took his hands and placed them on her waist. But she kept everything soft and gentle, because she knew that doing more would make him try to stop her.

Her soft kisses went down to his chest, and his grip tightened on her waist slightly. Gently, she reminded herself. Slowly. She moved carefully, kissing across his chest, back up to his neck, his lips, then down again. Then, soon after passing his collarbones with her lips against his chest, she gently sucked the flesh into his mouth. His body gave the smallest jolt, but she continued, sucking gently at first, then harder and harder. He always covered himself so fully than she didn't feel bad leaving a mark on his pale skin. And once the area was red from her lips, she kissed to the other side and started again. She could hear him breathing more heavily, and her hands moved up and down his body with a firmer touch.

She lifted her head and kissed him passionately, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Happy that he wasn't so afraid of his own actions, she slipped her tongue into his mouth, trying not to be timid about it. They explored each others mouths as their hands explored each others bodies.

When she broke the kiss, she slid back on his lap just slightly so that he had a better view of her. Looking into his eyes, she slid the straps of her nightdress away and pulled down the front slowly, allowing him to see her full breasts. The gown slipped down around her waist, and her chest and stomach were both in view for him. She slowly guided his hands to her chest, keeping her hands over his as he gently touched her. Her hands very slowly slid away and went to his body. One hand gently caressed his side, but the other was moving down his stomach dangerously. She leaned in and kissed him, and his arms moved around her shoulders. But when they did, he felt her hand slide over his navel and between his legs. Her hand gently rested there, cupping him through the cloth of his pants.

"Hina--" he started to say, but she pressed her lips to his again. Slowly, very slowly, he started to relax, as her hand did nothing but rest against him.

Once against she kissed him, this time with more aggression than she knew she possessed. She wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned forward slightly, wanting deeper access to his mouth. She knew he was surprised, but he didn't try to stop her. And suddenly, he groaned into her mouth and pulled back.

"Sneaky…" he said softly, breathing heavily.

She smiled innocently at him. She had surprised him so much with her kiss that he didn't notice at first when she started to rub between his legs. His body couldn't help but react to her, and she could actually feel the shape of him now, the growing hardness as her hand moved slowly but firmly against the outside of his pants.

"Neji… I… I want to see you," she said cutely with girlish curiosity.

His blush far outdid hers. "We should stop," he said with the last traces of sanity left in him.

"I just want to see," she pouted. "You saw me naked!"

He couldn't help but smile at the simplicity of her argument. He rose his hips slightly to pull down his sweatpants just enough. When he settled back down on the couch he felt her gentle hand pulling the object of her curiosity from his pants. He shut his eyes against the sensations, and let her touch him. He tilted his head back against the couch, rational thought suddenly seeming unimportant. But then gently but firmly, and very reluctantly, he grabbed her hand.

"I… can't do this…" he said. "I know you care, Hinata. You don't have to show me this way."

"You don't want to?" she asked softly, not at all surprised at his level of self control.

"I will always want to," he said. "And I will never be able to." Sadness appeared on his face. "We can't see each other anymore, Hinata. Not like this. I refuse to stop being your protector and escort, and so I must always uphold my vows to your family. And I refuse to limit the amount of love and affection you should be receiving because you deserve so much more than me. It's over."

She gently drew her hand away from his grasp. "You never told me what you deserved," she said gently.

"Because I don't know…" he responded softly.

Hinata looked into his eyes with sadness. "Can I kiss you one more time?" she asked.

He nodded slightly, his heart aching for her, and she rose up slightly and leaned her head down to kiss him. The kiss was sad and sweet and longing… and goodbye. They let it continue on and on… never wanting to admit that it was over. When the kiss broke, they both had tears in their eyes as they stared at each other.

And then… Hinata lowered her weight to his lap again slowly, and he didn't have the awareness to react to her hand reaching down and guiding him, or the silky sensation that made him realize that there was no barrier of cloth between their most intimate parts. She winced and whimpered slightly as she settled herself all the way down on his lap, and he stopped breathing for the long seconds it took for her to take his entire length inside of her body.

They sat there looking into each other's eyes as if frozen… Hinata in shock at the sudden sharp pain, and Neji simply in shock. Hinata felt completely filled by him, and he felt completely engulfed by her. The sensations he felt completely washed away the surprise at what she had just done. After a few moments he realized that his hands were very firmly holding her hips, holding her down on him. He very slowly slid his hands away.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as her emotions overtook her. She felt ashamed, she felt as though she had taken advantage of him and made him break his vow, she felt as though he was disgusted by her, and she felt so unsure as to why she had done it. It really was as though her body moved on it's own.

"Wait…" he said finally, his voice sounding a little labored. "Stand…."

She slowly got off of him, wincing a bit, and he stood also, fixing his pants. She opened her mouth to apologize, but she suddenly felt her feet leaving the ground. He had scooped her up into his arms, and in seconds he had her in the bedroom. He placed her on the bed and slid the nightdress from her body, tossing it to the floor. She watched in the moonlight and fountain light of the room as he took his clothes off without hesitation and was soon there with her. He parted her thighs and settled between them, resting his weight on top of her. He gazed into her eyes now. He was reading her. Looking for fear, looking for acceptance, looking for desire. But Hinata was reading him also. His eternal tranquility was no longer on his face. She saw a fire there, a longing long buried inside of him that was starting to overtake him.

Hinata parted her legs wider and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, drawing him closer so she could whisper in his ear. "I don't want to have control…" she whispered softly, her breath against his skin. "I trust you."

It was at though the heat of his passion erupted around them. He kissed her roughly, and his hands were all over her body now. He grinded his body against hears, his hard muscles against her soft curves, fitting in every way possible. He moved down and bit the side of her neck, and his strong hands squeezed her breasts, kneading them and pinching the nipples there. She arched her back as he roughly started to suck her.

She felt his hand move down between their bodies and he lifted his head to see her face as she felt him about to enter her. He pushed his hips forward slowly, and Hinata winced only slightly at the girth as her body, tight and wet for him, eagerly let him inside. Inch by inch he entered slowly, and she squirmed in anticipation as he filled her body, stretching her and touching her so deeply. And his eyes were filled with an animalistic desire that was so intense that she would have been afraid if it were anyone else.

He buried himself inside of her completely and her nails dug into his back. He moved his body up a couple inches and when he slowly pulled out and thrust into her again, she felt the base of his length stimulating her with each stroke. She drew her knees up, the insides of her thighs sliding against his body, giving him deeper access to her.

His long hair was damp and sticking to his body, and the warmth she felt from him was strong and comforting. He thrust into her hard, and her hands shot downward to his backside, trying to get more of him inside of her. She lifted her hips to meet his thrusts, and arched her back as his hands moved up and down her every curve.

The feeling of being ravished and so completely desired was sending Hinata over the edge. Her breath was coming faster know, her moans more breathless and short. She tried to hold on, to wait for him, but she was near her breaking point, and he looked as though he could go on forever. She squirmed and tried to hold it inside. He slowed his pace and let her catch her breath. He was teasing her, moving slowly and very deliberately now. The friction of every stroke made her tingle. She was close to begging when he became more aggressive again. And now the sensations where a million times more powerful.

But then, he looked into her eyes as though he would devour her, and he smirked. A dangerous, sexual, almost dark smirk as he leaned his face very close to hers. He brushed his lips against hears then ran his tongue along them. "You feel so good inside…" he whispered.

And Hinata lost it. Her body arched as she threw her head back and moaned and whimpered at the immense pleasure that shot through her very core. He took advantage and kissed down her throat, massaging her breasts as he continued to thrust firmly into her, giving her the full feeling of release.

Once she had settled down, she returned her attention to him. His expressions were something to behold. He was in ecstasy, and the deep groans from his voice were music to her ears. Seeing him this way, unable to keep complete control, finally free, was beautiful.

He interlocked his fingers with hers and pinned her hands above her head. His rhythm was intense as he sank into her again and again, his grip on her hands growing tighter. She caught his lips with hers when his face was close enough, and they kissed passionately, skin against skin from head to toe. He pulled away and buried his face against her shoulder, and he groaned deeply and loudly against her, burying himself into her as deep as their bodies would allow a few more times before his full weight dropped onto her. He released her hands and wrapped his arms around her, and she was happy to feel that he wasn't removing himself from her body yet. She felt him sigh in contentment as he held her, their hearts beating as one.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he shifted just slightly and kissed her cheek. "Did I hurt you?"

"I knew you wouldn't hurt me," she smiled. "It… it felt really good."

"My sweet, shy Hinata," he grinned. "I think deep down I knew you had it in you."

"Had what?" she asked curiously.

"That deeply sensual side that still can't betray your innocence," he said softly. "That beautiful, natural, uncorrupted desire."

"You aren't mad at me?" she asked. "I made you break your vows…."

"I will have to tell Lord Hiashi that I have broken some of them," Neji said.

"What! B… but… Father will…"

"I won't tell him about this, of course," he chuckled. "I don't want to die."

"B… but your honor in the clan…. Wait, you aren't thinking of leaving the clan?" she asked, her heart suddenly pounding hard.

"I will not leave," he said. "And I will face the consequences of my actions."

"…You mean my actions," Hinata said guiltily.

"You didn't do anything I didn't wish for in my heart," he said. "And I must always have your father's respect if I wish to be with you."

Hinata tightened her hold on him. "You mean… you won't leave me?"

"Not in life or death," he said before lifting his head and kissing her deeply. "Now, the water is still in the bath. Let's go together."

"I… I'll watch where I sit this time," she smiled sweetly.

And then he smirked at her. That dangerous, sexual, almost dark smirk.

* * *

Something was making him terribly uneasy that night. He stared up at the moon with hatred. It made him sick knowing that he had failed to execute Neji. But Neji would surely come to him as long as his teammates were hostages. And then… with Neji out of the way, he would find a way to take Hinata and make her his whore. He would claim her body in the presence of Neji's rotting corpse. 

He quickly made his way inside the deserted mansion, now filled with Hyuuga runaways and rebels like himself. He went to his room and turned on the lights. He stared into a full length mirror on the wall. He knew that in the event Neji was not allowed to come after his team, a bit of persuasion would be in order. The Sannin could to it, and so could he. He stared into the mirror and concentrated in his power of illusions and chakra.

Soon, he stared back at his reflection and laughed darkly. What was reflected there appeared to be the body of Hinata, with his dark, disgusting soul inside. He would use this appearance to break Neji. To destroy him from the inside out.

* * *

Neji opened his eyes early in the morning and listened to the birds outside his window. He knew he had to get up and train. He had to will himself to leave the soft, warm body lying not far from him. Hinata had been with him all week as his friend, support, and lover. Especially his lover. She was still so timid and soft with him, and he tried to be the same with her… to go at her pace. He looked to her innocent sleeping face and smiled. She was utterly exhausted, and probably a bit sore. His endurance certainly outlasted hers, and he half wondered if she could walk okay. But last night had been the last time for a very long time. They had agreed to slow things down. 

Neji slowly slid out of bed but she held on tightly. He grinned and kissed her gently and she smiled sleepily before releasing him and dozing off again. He changed, quickly ate something and left, heading for the training grounds.

His heart grew heavier as he went, because his thoughts were on his team. If they were still in the village, Lee would have been there already, and Tenten would be wandering by sleepily. Gai would be off somewhere being loud and overly-energetic for the time of day.

Neji missed them. He was lonely without them. A part of him was missing.

He trained for hours, trying to focus. But his mind kept drifting to the ones he lost. And here he was, unable to act on anything. Part of him told him to leave now and go for them. But the ANBU would be after him in seconds, and he had no idea where to start his search.

He stopped training and looked up at the sky, watching the birds fly past. It was then that he sensed someone's presence, and turned to see Kakashi walking up to him.

"Hey," Kakashi said with a smile from under his mask.

"Good morning," Neji nodded.

"I thought you might be feeling lonely," Kakashi said. "Tsuande thought so too."

"Did she?" Neji asked, looking up at the sky again.

"Yes, and Lord Hiashi seemed to agree," Kakashi said, putting a hand on Neji's shoulder. "So, do you want to go look for them?"

"Of course I do," Neji said, looking down. "Now I know how Naruto feels all the time when it comes to Sasuke…."

"Well, if it's that bad…" Kakashi said with a mischievous smile, "I suppose we'll have to go after them won't we? And I must admit, I was looking forward to my match with Gai."

"But I was told--"

"By the way, the seals of your clan are amazing," Kakashi said, stretching casually. "Lord Hiashi showed me some that looked much like the seal I put on Sasuke years ago to suppress his curse seal. Not that you would want any more marks on your face… but it would only be temporary after all."

"Neji reached up and touched the seal on his own forehead. "You want to suppress this?" Neji asked.

"It wouldn't be perfect," Kakashi said seriously. "But it might be strong enough to prevent death and nerve damage. So if your uncle tried to activate your seal he couldn't kill you, at least until the seal weakens and vanishes. If you allow me to put this suppressing seal in place over your clan's seal, Tsunade will let you join my team to look for Gai. We have witnesses that say they know which direction the group was headed."

"I'll do it," Neji said without hesitation.

"I knew you would," Kakashi smiled. "So, let's go to a sealing room and see what we can do."

Neji followed Kakashi as they went to a sealing room, which was a dark, underground room with stones walls and pillars. Kakashi had Neji take his shirt off and told him to sit down on the stone floor, right in a circular area of stones. Neji did so, and he watched as Kakashi cut his finger on a kunai before writing dozens of symbols on Neji's body with blood. When the blood stopped running from his finger he cut his arm and took the blood from there. Soon Neji was covered with symbols. They ran from the stone floor, all the way up his body, and to the seal on his forehead.

"Brace yourself," Kakashi said as he walked to stand in front of Neji. "It will hurt… a lot."

"Ready," Neji said.

Kakashi knelt down in front of him. Suddenly he gripped Neji's shoulder and thrust his other palm at Neji's face to touch the seal there. His hand seemed to glow, and Neji grit his teeth at the pain as the symbols on the floor and on his body started to move. They slid up his body and all started to gather at the seal of his forehead. Neji felt as though his forehead was going to burst, and the symbols that moved over him felt like they were made of liquid fire. His lungs were straining for air when the seals were finally all at his forehead, and in an instant the pain stopped.

Kakashi took a good look. The many symbols had gathered around Neji's clan seal, but were now very small and didn't appear nearly so numerous. They had formed a circle of green symbols around the center area of Neji's green clan seal.

"It worked," Kakashi said as he pat Neji on the shoulder.

Neji nodded as he knelt there, his body hunched over and his palms against the floor. He was still gasping for breath.

"When you're ready," Kakashi said, "We're leaving."

Neji put a hand to his throbbing forehead and stood slowly. "Then I'm going to get dressed for battle now, and then we go."

* * *

Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Kakashi were all ready to go when Neji returned, his Jounin uniform on and his forehead protector firmly in place, hiding the seals on his forehead. 

Hinata didn't want to let Neji leave at first, and she made it very hard to get dressed, but eventually she let him go, a sweet pout on her face. She understood that he needed his team to be happy.

Tsunade saw them off, warning Neji to be careful and handing him a list of the dozens of Hyuuga clan members who escaped.

"I'm warning you now," she said. "The ANBU has already been dispatched and they will be doing most of the work. Your main job is to retrieve Gai, Lee, and Tenten. Let the ANBU do their job. Kakashi is a former ANBU member, so trust his judgment. Naruto, Sai, Sakura… Neji is not your friend on this mission, he is your commander. I don't want any problems!"

She was staring straight at Naruto when she said the last sentence, and he grinned.

After more orders, directions, and warnings, the five left. Tsunade smiled and headed back to the Hokage building. She went to her office and sat there, taking in a deep breath. There was always so much that needed to be done. A good hour passed before she lazily picked up her pen. And it was just then that someone burst through the door.

"Lady Hokage!" a young ANBU member said. "The Akatsuki have been spotted!"

"What?" she said. "What horrible timing," she groaned as she took the report. She opened it at read through carefully, her heart dropping to her stomach when she found the information about their location. "They are in the same area as the Hyuuga activity," she said softly. "In other words, Naruto is headed straight for them…."

"What should we do?" the ANBU member asked.

"The only thing I can," Tsunade sighed. "We're sending backup."

---To Be Continued---


End file.
